A person was sentenced to 8½ years in jail Thursday for hijacking an Uber Eats driver close to Goose Island in December 2024, a case that prosecutors mentioned was resolved by means of the coordinated efforts of police within the air and on the bottom.
David Brantley, 19, pleaded responsible to aggravated vehicular hijacking and acquired the prolonged sentence from Cook dinner County Decide Thomas Byrne. The decide sentenced Brantley’s confederate, Tayvon Andrews, additionally 19, to 9 years final month.
The case stemmed from a December 8, 2024, carjacking that focused a 25-year-old supply driver working for Uber Eats. Prosecutors mentioned the driving force was sitting in his 2016 Toyota sedan round 8:45 p.m. within the 800 block of West Blackhawk Road when the 2 males approached.
Andrews allegedly displayed a gun whereas ordering the driving force out of the automobile. Prosecutors mentioned the sufferer complied, and the lads drove off with Brantley behind the wheel and Andrews within the passenger seat.
Chicago police shortly situated the stolen Toyota from the air utilizing a CPD helicopter, and Illinois State Police troopers joined the response on the bottom as officers tracked the automobile throughout the town.
The pursuit ended about an hour later, round 9:45 p.m., when the Toyota crashed close to 87th Road and State Road, based on a Chicago police report. State troopers arrested Andrews and Brantley on the scene and turned them over to CPD.
On the time of the hijacking, Brantley had an energetic stolen motorized vehicle case pending in juvenile courtroom and was in warrant standing for failing to adjust to courtroom situations, prosecutors mentioned on the time. The result of the juvenile case just isn’t obtainable as a result of these information are shielded from public overview.
The case highlighted a legislation enforcement strategy that has change into more and more frequent in Chicago. Within the wake of pricey civil lawsuits tied to accidents and deaths from police car pursuits, CPD leaders have discouraged officers from participating in high-speed chases. As an alternative, the division’s helicopter unit steadily tracks fleeing automobiles from the air, whereas floor items place themselves close by.
Illinois State Police, who function below totally different pursuit tips and have extra specialised coaching, typically take a extra energetic position on the bottom. In different instances, CPD items shadow suspects on parallel streets till a car stops or crashes with out participating in a direct pursuit.
