Man accused of shooting up unoccupied CPD cruiser, fighting officers denied bail

A 25-year-old man previously convicted of battering a police officer has been denied bail on charges he fired a gun multiple times at an unoccupied police cruise earlier this week in Montclare.

Joshua Carrasquillo faces felony counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and reckless discharge of a firearm in the incident, which Cook County prosecutors said happened across the street from the oil change station where he works when he appeared for a hearing Saturday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

About 6:30 p.m. Thursday, a Chicago police officer parked his squad car in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven at 2759 N. Harlem and walked away to patrol the neighborhood, prosecutors said.

A short time later, an officer from neighboring Elmwood Park heard a single gunshot and saw Carrasquillo pointing a gun at the cruiser, authorities said. The officer then saw Carrasquillo fire five more shots at the squad car before escaping east on Diversey Avenue.

No one was hurt, authorities said.

After hearing the shots, the CPD officer returned to his car to find it had been damaged by the gunfire, according to prosecutors. Six shell casings were found nearby.

The suburban officer gave a description of Carrasquillo, who was allegedly seen wearing a Jiffy Lube uniform, prosecutors said. When officers talked to employees at a Jiffy Lube directly across from the 7-Eleven, the employees provided Carrasquillo’s name and address.

When officers showed up an hour later at Carrasquillo’s home in the 2700 block of North Neva they found him still wearing the uniform, prosecutors said. Carrasquillo “became belligerent” when the officers tried to take him into custody and kicked one officer twice in the groin and spit on him. Carrasquillo kicked another in the face and twisted a third officer’s arm. He was taken into custody after the scuffle, and a gun was found in his back pocket, prosecutors said.

Later, Carrasquillo bit a fourth officer in the thigh as he was being moved into a cell at the Grand Central District police station at 5555 W. Grand, authorities said.

Prosecutors noted that Carrasquillo has a pair of felony convictions, including a 2015 conviction for aggravated battery to a peace officer for which he was sentenced to three years in prison.

Judge David Navarro denied him bail, citing the attacks on the officers and Carrasquillo’s history of run-ins with police.

His next court date was set for Thursday in Skokie.

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