A man who carjacked a taxi on the Near North Side and then killed another driver when he crashed into her car nearby has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Michael Jorgensen, 32, of Streamwood, pleaded guilty to one count of murder in a plea deal with prosecutors. The state dropped 21 other felonies in the agreement, including vehicular hijacking and multiple counts of murder, driving under the influence, and aggravated battery. Judge Diana Kenworthy oversaw the case and sentenced Jorgensen.
The incident began around 10:45 p.m. on February 13, 2018, when a taxi driver told a restaurant worker that he saw Jorgensen acting suspiciously in the eatery’s parking lot on the 200 block of West Walton.
As the cabbie got into his car, the restaurant worker confronted Jorgensen, who allegedly let his dog attack the man. The restaurant employee got into the cabbie’s car to get away from the dog, but Jorgensen allegedly chased after him and let his dog into the car where it attacked the driver, who suffered bite wounds to his neck and body.
Jorgensen allegedly pulled the driver from the taxi and drove away.
Minutes later, Jorgensen allegedly crashed the taxi into two cars on the 600 block of West Chicago. The driver of one car, 69-year-old Perla Carandang of Lincoln Park, was killed. Her passenger, a 36-year-old woman, was injured. Jorgensen was also seriously injured in the crash.
Prosecutors said his blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit at the time of the crash. He was also under the influence of cocaine and amphetamines, according to the allegations.
Judge Kenworthy ordered Jorgensen to serve 100% of his sentence and gave him credit for 1,268 days he spent in jail awaiting trial.
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