Bond Denied For Men Charged With Hijacking Vehicle At Knifepoint

Elmhurst IL

11 October, 2021

12:00 PM

Description

VILLA PARK, IL – Bond has been denied for two men accused of hijacking a woman's car at knifepoint in Villa Park while her two children were in the back seat, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas announced Sunday. Luis Gomez-Garcia, 28, and Christopher Krieg, 32, were both charged with one count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking, three counts of Aggravated Kidnapping, and three counts of Aggravated Unlawful Restraint, according to a news release from the Dupage County State's Attorney's Office. Gomez-Garcia and Krieg appeared in Bond Court Sunday morning, where Judge Jeffrey MacKay denied bond to both defendants. According to the State's Attorney's Office, Gomez-Garcia and Krieg allegedly attacked the victim and her ten and five-year-old children just after they left the North Park Mall in Villa Park at around 4:48 p.m. on Oct. 8. As the victim was sitting in the driver's seat with the window down, Gomez-Garcia allegedly put a three and half inch blade to her throat and told her to move to the passenger seat. At the same time, Krieg allegedly moved into the rear passenger seat, next to the two children. Gomez-Garcia allegedly ordered the victim to give him valuable property, including her wallet, an iPhone 11, and an Apple Watch, according to the State's Attorney's news release. Gomez-Garcia allegedly told the victim to drive to her house, but she drove to a different location, where she and her children left the car, and the two men allegedly fled in the car. Gomez-Garcia also allegedly told the victim not to call police, and held a knife in his right hand the whole time. Neither the woman nor her children were physically harmed during the alleged incident, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. A joint investigation by Villa Park and Chicago police departments led them to the 2900 block of W. Harrison Street in Chicago. Chicago police officers located the victim's car at that address, and allegedly found Krieg inside the car, and Gomez-Garcia about ten feet away. Both men, whom police said were armed with knives, were taken into custody at about 7:21 p.m. on Thursday. "The extreme level of violence alleged against the two defendants in this case is unconscionable," Berlin said in a news release. "I can't begin to imagine the fear and terror this woman must have felt not only for herself, but also for her two young children. This type of brazen behavior, allegedly in the middle of the afternoon in the parking lot of a busy shopping mall, will not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." "On October 8, 2021, a mother and her two young children lost their innocence to two alleged carjackers and kidnappers," Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas said in a news release. "The pain and suffering felt by victims is what motivates us in the law enforcement community to work tirelessly to bring violent offenders to justice. The Villa Park Police Department is blessed to have officers and detectives who acted swiftly and effectively to bring this horrific crime to a conclusion. Gomez-Garcia and Krieg are scheduled to appear for arraignment before Judge Mike Reidy on Nov. 8. *Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendants' guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government's burden to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.