A 35-year-old man thanked his victim for “saving his life,” at a bail hearing Saturday afternoon where he faced vehicular hijacking charges for taking a rental van at gunpoint in the Austin neighborhood.
Andrew Collins of the 400 block of North St. Louis Avenue was charged with one count of vehicular hijacking of a handicap person, one count of discharge of a weapon and one misdemeanor count of leaving the scene, police said.
During a bail hearing broadcast on YouTube, prosecutors said Collins was first involved in a gun exchange in an alley near a U-Haul business in the 1700 block of North Cicero Avenue, where he encountered at man in his 60s attempting to return a van.
Prosecutors said Collins aimed a gun at the victim’s head and demanded he get out of the vehicle, but when he was moving slowly, Collins fired a shot near the victim’s head before taking off.
Collins then crashed twice in the 3800 block of West Roosevelt Road and was taken into police custody when he exited the stolen U-Haul van, prosecutors said.
In the middle of the bail hearing Collins said, “I want to thank the old-timer for saving my life,” and the judge explained he would have time to defend his actions during a court hearing.
Prosecutors said the victim was disabled and using a cane at the time of the carjacking.
Collins, who had previous felonies, was denied bail, and his next court date was scheduled for July 19.
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