No bond for man accused of stealing car with 2-month-old baby inside, crashing miles away
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Bond was denied Tuesday for a 26-year-old man charged with stealing a car with a 2-month-old baby inside.
The baby's father was hurt after jumping on the hood of the moving car — trying to stop the suspected thief.
As CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey reported Tuesday, the family that was victimized in this case has been dealing with some injuries and were not able to talk to us on camera Tuesday. But we learned much more about the harrowing details of the crime.
The suspect not only stole the car and crashed it — but the 2-month-old baby was somehow ejected from his car seat.
On Sunday morning, the family was just trying to pick up their to-go order from a bakery in the 1500 block of West Lawrence Avenue in the Ravenswood neighborhood. Their Honda CRV was running with the baby sitting in the back seat.
Police say Pherris Harrington was caught on surveillance camera jumping in and driving away.
The baby's mom and dad saw Harrington get in the car, and the 41-year-old dad jumped on the hood. Both were screaming.
Harrington kept driving, and the baby's father hurt his legs falling from the hood.
The baby's 37-year-old mom was also injured trying to stop the driver from taking off.
Prosecutors said Harrington drove all the way downtown while being pursued by police. He went on to hit several cars and crash the stolen car at Lower Wacker Drive and Randolph Street at 11:19 a.m. Sunday, prosecutors said.
Officers found the baby lying on the floor. The car seat had been knocked out of place.
The baby was unharmed, but both mom and dad are nursing some injuries.
Meanwhile, Harrington reportedly spat on EMTs and kicked police officers, and several live rounds fell out of his pocket as he was being taken into custody.
Police said Sunday that before stealing the family's vehicle, Harrington had plowed into a police car and a row of parked cars nearby on Lawrence Avenue.
When it comes to criminal background — Harrington was already on parole for a 2017 robbery conviction. He had an extensive juvenile record as well.
Connecticut court records show that less than three weeks ago, Harrington was also arrested there and charged in Branford, Connecticut just east of New Haven for attempting to rob a gas station clerk with a large saw. Harrington's bond in that case was set at $100,000, and since he violated the bond, an active warrant went out against him Tuesday, Nov. 1.
When Hickey talked to the baby's mom Tuesday afternoon, she did not know there was already a warrant out for his arrest.
Mom said she doesn't understand how the baby was removed from his car seat — but they took him to the hospital, and miraculously, the doctor said he doesn't have a scratch on him.
Meanwhile, the judge in Central Bond Court at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse denied bond for Harrington in this latest case. The judge summed up his decision by saying: "If Mr. Harrington had a sliver of a soul, he would have stopped the vehicle when he realized there was a child inside. And he didn't."
When the judge was explaining his no bond decision — saying that he had "no doubt" that Harrington is a danger to this community — Harrington actually walked away from the Zoom screen. The judge called him out for it.
The baby's family said they want to see Harrington stay behind bars.
Harrington is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 23.
