Judge lowers defendant's bond in Joliet car-to-car shooting case

The bond for a 22-year-old man arrested in connection with a deadly car-to-car shootout in Joliet was reduced from $2 million to $750,000, court records show.

Javontae Gray was the only defendant in the incident not charged with the murder of 17-year-old Jeremiah Frazier. Gray was in a car with Frazier during the Feb. 7 shootout and dropped him off at the hospital when he suffered a gunshot wound to the head, according to Joliet police. Yet Judge David Garcia set Gray’s bond at $2 million, which was $1 million higher than the that of Rasean Stokes, 18, who police say was in another car with Jeremiah Gavin, 22. Stokes and Gavin were both charged with killing Frazier.

On Wednesday, Judge Dan Kennedy reduced Gray’s bond to $750,000. Gray will need to post 10% of that amount for his release from jail.

Gray's attorney, Zachary Pollack, said he argued his client has no criminal history and that his bond should be based more on the obstruction charge rather than the aggravated discharge of a firearm charge.

Gray was charged with shooting at the car occupied by Gavin and Stokes, and trying to conceal evidence by grabbing a cellphone off the ground.

Pollack said he believed there is little to no evidence that Gray fired a gun based on what he has seen.

Will County State's Attorney spokeswoman Carole Cheney has said her office requested a $1 million bond for Gray but Garcia made the determination to set it higher.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, Gavin's and Stokes' cases were rescheduled to June 2, court records show. Gray's next court date is June 3.