4 charged in South Loop hit-and-run with stolen vehicle, 1 suspect still at large

Four men and one teenage boy are facing misdemeanor charges after allegedly crashing a stolen vehicle Tuesday in the South Loop.

Martin Perez, 21, Jorge Perez, 19, and Javier Ramirez, 28, have been charged with one count of misdemeanor criminal trespass to a vehicle, Chicago police said. A 17-year-old boy was also charged with the same.

About 11:55 p.m., a black Pontiac sedan was seen speeding southbound in the 2000 block of South Michigan Avenue when it rear-ended a grey Infiniti sedan that was driving the same direction, police said. The force of the crash caused the Pontiac to spin out and crash into two parked cars.

Five passengers of the Pontiac ran from the scene of the crash, police said. They were seen heading eastbound on Cullerton Street from Michigan Avenue.

Four of the five were found trying to hide in a hotel in the 2100 block of South Prairie Avenue, police said. The fifth is still at large.

Police sources said the Pontiac was believed to be stolen, and that the crash happened after the occupants in the Infiniti began to fear that the people in the Pontiac were going to start shooting at them.

No one was injured in the crash, police said.

The 17-year-old boy is awaiting a date in juvenile court while the four men are due back in court August 9.