CHICAGO — A California man faces felony charges for allegedly stealing a woman’s phone as they prepared to board a flight at Midway International Airport.
Jermaine Harris, 33, of Fresno, was released to await trial after the March 19 incident, but he failed to show up for court and a warrant is now active for his arrest, according to public records.
The theft allegedly occurred as Harris and a 23-year-old suburban woman were standing at gate B1, preparing to board a Southwest Airlines flight to Denver around 5:20 a.m.
A Chicago police report said Harris snatched the woman’s phone from her hand and put it in his pants pocket. He refused to give it back and an argument ensued, ultimately resulting in a police response to the gate, the report said.
The officers allegedly found the woman’s phone in Harris’ pants pocket during a custodial search.
Things deteriorated after Harris arrived at the Chicago Lawn (8th) District police station. A CPD supervisor noted in Harris’ arrest report that he “damaged Department computers and the fingerprint machine” in the district lockup area.
He also bit an officer on the hand, breaking the skin, and struck two other cops and detention aides, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors charged him with felony theft, four counts of aggravated battery of a peace officer, and felony criminal damage to government property.
The woman missed her flight because of the incident, but Southwest booked her on another flight that left the same morning.
