It probably seemed like a good idea at the time.
A South Side man allegedly pulled off a Tuesday morning carjacking and then used the freshly-hijacked car to drive himself and his alleged accomplices to his 9 a.m. felony court appearance.
He almost made it.
We told you about Edward Fleming, 20, yesterday. Police said he and two juveniles lured a Joliet man into a carjacking trap via an online dating app. Fleming held the victim at gunpoint, a 17-year-old male punched the victim in the face, and all three offenders sped away with the man’s Nissan Altima around 8 a.m., according to allegations in court records.
Fleming, who was free on “affordable bail” after being charged with felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle last month, had less than an hour to get himself to court.
At 8:44 a.m., police spotted Fleming as he parked the allegedly hijacked car less than a block from the courthouse — a building that also houses the 5th District police station and the Area South police headquarters.
Fleming and his two alleged accomplices were taken into custody.
In court that morning, the judge made a handwritten note for Fleming’s file: “[Defendant] in custody @ 5th District on new charge.”
Fleming’s bail in the January case has been revoked and he’s being held without bail on the carjacking charge.