A man is facing felony charges in a series of armed carjackings and a robbery Monday in Austin.
Lennie Myles, 19, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated vehicular hijacking, attempted vehicular hijacking and robbery with a firearm, according to Chicago police. He is also charged with one misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.
Myles was arrested about 10:20 a.m. Monday in the 500 block of North Leamington, minutes after he allegedly threatened to take a vehicle at gunpoint from a 62-year-old man, police said.
The man was picking up trash around his garage when police say Myles approached him and asked for change for $20 before pulling out a gun, court documents state. The man grabbed a piece of wood and tried to hit Myles with it.
Myles aimed the gun at the man who then “heard the gun click” but it did not fire, according to the documents. He demanded the man’s car keys.
Myles pointed the gun at the man again and said, “I’m going to kill you,” according to court documents. The man managed to get away and had someone call police.
Officers attempted to stop Myles on the sidewalk, but he ran, police said. He was taken into custody after a brief chase. Officers recovered a loaded 9 mm handgun.
Police said Myles had gone on a mini-crime spree hours before he was arrested. He allegedly carjacked a 30-year-old man about 7:30 a.m. in the 5100 block of West Ferdinand, and robbed a 16-year-old boy in the 5100 block of West Kinzie around the same time.
Myles allegedly pushed a gun into the teen’s chest and demanded his jacket and shoes, according to police and court documents. He also allegedly threatened to kill the teen.
About an hour later, in the 5200 block of West Ohio, Myles allegedly got into a 40-year-old woman’s 2008 Honda Pilot, pointed a gun at her and demanded her keys, according to court documents.
Myles is on felony probation for possession of a stolen vehicle. His arrest report states that he told officers that he takes medication for a mental illness.
During his bail hearing Tuesday, a judge granted a health care evaluation for Myles and remanded him into the custody of the Cook County sheriff.
