Westmont Teen Accused In Armed Carjacking To Be Tried As Adult

Downers Grove IL

06 June, 2022

9:20 AM

Description

WESTMONT, IL — A 16-year-old Westmont boy who was accused of shooting a woman in the leg during an armed carjacking in January will be tried as an adult. Mitch Crawford, 16, of the 1100 block of South Williams Street, has been charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated fleeing and eluding and unlawful possession of a concealable firearm by a minor in connection with the Jan. 4, 2022, incident. Just before midnight on Jan. 4, police were called to the Suffield Gardens apartment complex and arrived to find a woman with a gunshot wound in her leg. Police say the woman returned home from work and saw Crawford standing outside her car door as she tried to get out. Crawford is accused of pointing a gun at the woman's face and demanding her to get out of the car. Crawford is further accused of shooting the woman in her leg, grabbing the hood of her coat and pulling her from the car. Police say he then fled in the car, heading east on 63rd Street. Oak Brook police later pulled over the car near on Route 83 near the I-88 ramp. Crawford is accused of speeding away after the officer turned on their sirens and lights. Police say a brief chase ensued on I-290, with Crawford accelerating to more than 100 miles per hour. According to police, Crawford crashed the car while trying to get off the highway. When he was taken into custody, police recovered a P80 polymer gun with an extended magazine and no serial number, a news release said. Crawford attended a juvenile detention hearing on Jan. 6. On May 27, a judge approved the motion to transfer Crawford to adult court. "The extreme level of violence and complete disregard for the safety of the public alleged in this case cannot and will not be tolerated," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. Berlin added, "The criminal behavior alleged in this case has a damaging impact not only on the victim, but on the entire community as well. Crawford is currently being held in DuPage County Jail on $250,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on June 22. If convicted, Crawford faces up to 55 years in prison.