Joliet Teens With Loaded Stolen Gun Captured After Chase: Police

JOLIET, IL — Two Joliet teenagers were captured by Joliet police following a chase on New Year's Eve that resulted in the recovery of a stolen gun from central Illinois as well as the recovery of a second gun inside the teenagers' car, Joliet police announced Monday.

Lamonte Oneal,18, of Joliet is charged with criminal trespass to residence, aggravated unlawful use of weapon, possession of stolen gun, resisting/obstructing a peace officer and attempting to elude police.

The 17-year-old Joliet boy was taken to the River Valley Juvenile Justice Center where he has been charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and criminal trespass to a residence.

According to police, officers learned of a burglary call around 11:40 a.m. Thursday in the 200 block of Union Street. The crime involved two people kicking in the door while the apartment dweller was inside. The victim made it outside safely and called 911.

The intruders got away before Joliet police cars made it to Union Street. Later, Joliet police informed other on-duty officers that Oneal and the 17-year-old were the prime suspects in the burglary, police reports show.

Other patrol officers spotted the suspects' getaway car near Fourth Avenue and Richards Street, police reports show.

Officers tried to stop the car, but Oneal refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued, police said. Eventually, the car stopped in the area of Richards Street and Colburn Avenue. "The juvenile exited the vehicle and was taken into custody without incident," police reports show.

Oneal struggled with the officers as they tried to arrest him, Joliet police stated.

"Upon searching the vehicle, officers recovered a firearm under the driver seat as well as an additional firearm under the passenger seat. A check of one of the firearms revealed that it was stolen out of central Illinois in 2019," Joliet police announced.

After spending a couple days in the Will County Jail, Oneal was freed Saturday after posting 10 percent of his $30,000 bail, Oneal lives in the unit block of Joliet's Bradford Road, jail records show.