West Loop carjacker is a 6-time felon on pretrial release, prosecutors say

6 months ago 58
Lance Wrightsell, Jr. (Chicago Police Department)

CHICAGO — Lance Wrightsell Jr. was supposed to be in court Monday morning for an ongoing felony case that accuses him of stealing more than $6,000 in electronics while working at a Target warehouse. He didn’t make it.

Instead, Wrightsell was in police custody after an overnight arrest for allegedly carjacking and pistol-whipping a man in the West Loop.

During a detention hearing on Wednesday, prosecutors said Wrightsell was the man who carjacked a driver in the 300 block of North Green around 12:30 a.m. Monday.

The victim, a 26-year-old River North resident, was sitting in his 2016 Mazda6 when Wrightsell, 31, walked up and pointed a gun at him, officials said. He allegedly struck the victim in the forehead with the gun and forced him from the vehicle.

A specialized Chicago police unit located the hijacked car by using CPD’s network of license plate readers. They followed it along the Eisenhower Expressway, expecting Illinois State Police troopers to arrive to assist with a possible pursuit.

The troopers weren’t needed, however. As the CPD officers watched, Wrightsell exited the expressway, ran a red light, and collided with three cars at Harlem Avenue, according to his arrest report. The cops arrested him there.

The report said police found a ski mask, Wrightsell’s phone, a loaded handgun, and the carjacking victim’s credit card inside the Mazda. The car’s keys were in Wrightsell’s jacket, according to police.

According to the report, police suspect the Mazda was used in a couple of other robberies. However, Wrightsell is not accused of participating in those.

Judge William Fahy detained him on a charge of aggravated vehicular hijacking.

Court records show Wrightsell was arrested at a Target warehouse in the 3500 block of South Pulaski on December 5. The company’s security team told police that Wrightsell stole phones and earpods from the warehouse five times, getting away with merchandise worth $6,260.

He was on pretrial release for the case when the carjacking occurred.

His previous felony convictions include theft in 2015, burglary in 2015, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in 2019, aggravated battery of a peace officer in 2022, and drug-related crimes in 2019 and 2022, according to court files.

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