Crime Spree: 2-month-old caught in the middle of car crashes, carjacking

CHICAGO — A 2-month-old was caught in the middle of a chaotic, bizarre crime spree involving car crashes and a carjacking near Ravenswood Sunday.

It all began in the 4700 block of North Clark Street where a car crash between at least five vehicles, including an unmarked police car, took place.

Amir Rouzati was one of the vehicle owners whose car was damaged in the crash. He believes the car that did all the damage was stolen too, with the driver also running away shortly thereafter.

“He originally hit a cop car off of Lawrence and then turned right and hit all these cars,” Rouzati said. “After that, I heard he ran on foot, carjacked another car or something.”

Police said just before 11 a.m., a 41-year-old man was getting out of his Honda inside a parking lot in the 1500 block of West Lawrence Avenue when someone came up to him and stole his car — with his 2-month-old inside.

Then later Sunday afternoon, a car was rear-ended on Lower Wacker Drive.

“He slammed into us, we were at a dead stop,” said Krista Tarrien, the driver who was rear-ended. “We were at the stop light and a car rammed into our car. I didn’t really see what was happening.”

As Tarrien’s vehicle moved aside, a man jumped out of the vehicle that hit her from behind and slid through a gap in the ramp to run away. Moments later, a 2-month-old boy was discovered by police in the back seat.

“We all pulled over, I saw the officers running to the car and they pulled a baby out,” Tarrien said.

The 2-month-old boy was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Police believe the crashes and the carjacking are related and are continuing to investigate the string of incidents.

Police have a person of interest in custody and are questioning them regarding the crashes and carjacking.