Two men face felony charges after one of them allegedly threw a gun from a car as the other sped away from police on a South Loop parking structure. Fortunately for us, someone was there to capture video of the circus.
Police went to the Whole Foods parking garage, 1101 South Canal, on Friday evening to break up a group of drivers who assembled there to do donuts and hang out. Cops break up similar gatherings in the garage all the time, usually without experiencing much more than squealing tires.
But not this time.
When police tried to open the doors of a Dodge Charger that had been spinning in circles on the lot Friday, the driver sped away, Assistant State’s Attorney Calvin Astrella said during a bond hearing Sunday.
The driver didn’t get far because a squad car was in his way.
As police approached the car again, they saw the front passenger throw a handgun out of his window, over a chainlink fence, and onto some nearby Metra train tracks, according to Astrella.
The driver accelerated to get away, sideswiping a police car, and striking another motorist’s truck as he sped toward the exit.
You may have predicted this next part. Police had the exit blocked.
Cops smashed the Charger’s windows to take the driver and passenger into custody, Astrella said.
Police allegedly found a loaded ammunition magazine under the passenger seat and later recovered a handgun from the Metra tracks. The magazine fit the gun, Astrella continued.
Prosecutors charged the driver, 21-year-old Walter Duncan Jr of Bolingbrook, with criminal damage to property and fleeing. According to Astrella, he has pending felony cases in Will County for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and manufacture-delivery of cannabis. Judge David Navarro set his bail at $20,000.
The passenger, Michael Gosa Jr of Chicago, is charged with unlawful use of a weapon. Gosa, 27, has no previous felony convictions. Navarro set his bail at $15,000.
The men will need to deposits equal to 10% of their bail amounts to get out of jail.