A man has been sentenced to ten years in jail after cutting off his ankle monitor, fleeing a murder scene in a stolen car, and then running over a Chicago police officer who attempted to capture him. Antonio Gonzalez, 22, reached a plea deal with prosecutors, bringing an end to a complex sequence of proceedings that spanned 2021 and 2022.
The story began on May 29, 2021, when Gonzalez was the front-seat passenger in a car stopped by police for a traffic offense. When cops arrested the driver for driving without a license, they searched the vehicle and discovered a loaded weapon in a backpack Gonzalez admitted to owning, according to prosecutors. He was charged with illegal gun possession and then released from custody.
Four months later, police allegedly found Gonzalez behind the wheel of an automobile that had been hijacked less than two hours before. When policemen attempted to stop him in the Loop, he made a U-turn onto the sidewalk before being boxed in on the 1100 block of South Michigan Avenue. Because the carjacking victim was unable to definitely identify Gonzalez, authorities charged him with possession of a stolen motor vehicle rather than vehicular hijacking. He was placed under electronic monitoring.
On April 27, 2022, Gonzalez allegedly severed the ankle monitor and threw it in the garbage. After detecting the GPS gadget, sheriff’s deputies obtained a warrant, according to prosecutors.
The following month, Gonzalez reappeared. According to authorities, Gonzalez was riding in the back seat of a stolen automobile with three other people when the man next to him shot 21-year-old Justin Gamino in the 5100 block of South Elizabeth Street. Gamino, who was unarmed, about to graduate from high school, and the father of a two-year-old daughter, died.
The stolen car crashed shortly after. All four occupants fled, but police apprehended three, including the alleged gunman, who was charged with murder.
Gonzalez went to Damen Avenue and jumped into a car that had been left running with the keys inside. Gonzalez pushed the accelerator as two uniformed officers attempted to take him from the driver’s seat, throwing both officers to the ground, according to prosecutors. According to prosecutors, one officer was struck by the car’s back wheel, resulting in tire marks on her arm and uniform, as well as a fractured wrist and concussion. Her partner sustained abrasions on her hands and arms.
The entire incident was recorded on the policemen’ body cameras.
Gonzalez was eventually apprehended after abandoning his car and fleeing into a woodland preserve.
Gonzalez pled guilty to attempted murder last Thursday, and James Obbish sentenced him to ten years in prison. Prosecutors agreed to drop all of his other ongoing cases.
