Three men were ordered held without bail Monday for their alleged roles in two separate carjackings on the South Side.
Shortly before midnight Saturday, Michael Moss and another man confronted a pizza delivery driver by standing on both sides of the man’s 2015 Nissan Altima in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, Cook County prosecutors said.
The victim tried to drive away in the 5000 block of South Union Avenue, but was unable to due to the heavy snowfall.
Moss’ cohort, who was standing on the passenger side of the car, then brandished an AK-47 rifle and pointed it at the driver, prosecutors said. Moss also said he had a gun, although when he lifted his shirt, the victim saw only a small power tool, prosecutors said.
The pizza delivery driver went on to unlock the Altima, prompting Moss, 19, to rummage through his pocket, prosecutors said.
The victim eventually exited the car and ran to a nearby gas station. But before fleeing, he was able to get a good look at Moss’ face and his camel-colored coat, prosecutors said.
Meanwhile, Moss and his cohort drove off with the Altima, which was later found two blocks away, prosecutors said.
Moss was arrested a block away from the abandoned vehicle after officers saw him wearing the same coat the victim had described, prosecutors said. The victim also identified Moss as one of his attackers.
Moss, who is enrolled at Tilden High School, is on probation for two felonies, including an attempted armed robbery, prosecutors said.
During his bond hearing Monday, Moss told Judge John F. Lyke Jr. that he was “racially profiled,” saying officers pulled him “over for no reason” during his arrest.
But Lyke had little sympathy for Moss.
“[The victim] was basically just doing his job and all of a sudden he’s looking down the business end of an AK-47 and some sort of power tool that you allegedly had, although you claimed — according to the state’s proffer — that you were going to shoot him,” Lyke said. “... You are doing way, way, way, way too much out there, allegedly.”
Two other men — Justin Jones, 19, and 24-year-old Jasper Price — also appeared before Lyke Monday for their alleged roles in a carjacking that took place last week in the South Shore neighborhood.
Jones and Price were arrested Sunday after they were spotted in a stolen vehicle in the 8000 block of South Marquette Avenue, Chicago police said.
The men tried to flee when officers questioned them during a traffic stop, but they were quickly taken into custody for a carjacking that took place Wednesday, in the 7400 block of South Luella Avenue, authorities said.
Price allegedly knew that victim from his time in an Illinois Department of Corrections facility.
During the carjacking, Jones put one hand on the victim’s shoulder and used his other hand to point a firearm at him, prosecutors said. The driver surrendered the vehicle and called police. He later identified Price by his name and physical characteristics, prosecutors said.
Jones and Price are both facing aggravated vehicular hijacking charges. Jones faces an additional charge of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Price, a father of two, has three prior felony convictions, including a 2014 theft. He was currently on parole for a 2018 possession of a controlled substance conviction, prosecutors said.
Jones, a recent graduate of Progressive Leadership Academy in Bronzeville, has a pending 2019 retail theft case. He has a juvenile conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, prosecutors said.
Moss, Jones and Price’s arrests come on the heels of a surge in carjackings that has taken the city by storm, leading elected officials and their constituents to call for action.
Last week, a 14-year-old boy was charged with carjacking an off-duty police officer in Kenwood. Three more 14-year-olds were charged with a spate of carjackings just a day before.
Moss, Jones and Price are expected back in court Feb. 8.
Contributing: David Struett and Sam Kelly
