Chicago — A man who was accused of setting a stolen SUV on fire outside the Chicago Theatre while on bail for another stolen motor vehicle case has reached a very nice plea deal with prosecutors.
In exchange for pleading guilty to three burglaries and an arson charge, Judge Adrienne Davis sentenced Timothy Barfield to three years on each count. But, she also ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning they would all be completed in just three years.
On August 17, 2021, Barfield was on bond when he allegedly crashed a stolen Cadillac Escalade through a Loop parking garage gate and then set the vehicle on fire in front of the Chicago Theatre. A video of the blaze was posted to Twitter:
After nearly running over a 42-year-old parking garage security guard while driving through the gate, Barfield pulled the stolen SUV into the median, poured liquid on it, set it ablaze, and then ran into a nearby Red Line station, prosecutors said.
Police found him at the station, allegedly reeking of burnt material. The Cadillac was allegedly stolen from a dealership in the northern suburbs.
Prosecutors dropped stolen motor vehicle, aggravated assault, and other charges against Barfield in their plea deal, according to court records.
Barfield arrived at Stateville Correctional Center on December 20. With credit for time spent in jail and a 50% sentence reduction for good behavior, he will be released from prison on May 18, Illinois Department of Corrections records show.
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