Three men accused of carjacking, robbing Downers Grove man at gunpoint: prosecutors

A motion was granted Sept. 29 to deny pretrial release for three men accused of robbing at gunpoint a Downers Grove man of his property and vehicle Sept. 28.

Javari Williams, 18, of the 15200 block of Turlington Avenue, Harvey; Tremaine Nelson, 18, of the 3400 block of Rhode Island Court, Gary, Indiana; and Tyray Hemphill, 22, of the 6400 block of South Oakley Avenue, Chicago, appeared in First Appearance Court charged with one count each of armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm and aggravated vehicular hijacking – victim over 60, all Class X felonies, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

About 6:50 p.m. Sept. 27, DuPage County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 36th Street and Fairview Avenue near Downers Grove for a report of an armed robbery of a car, authorities said.

After speaking with the victim, a man older than 60, police learned that a black 2006 Dodge Charger allegedly was involved in the robbery. Downers Grove police found the Charger and the victim’s vehicle, a 2006 Silver Chrysler 300 SRT, in the area.

Police pursued the two vehicles and the Charger crashed on Route 83 in Hinsdale. The Charger’s four occupants exited the vehicle and began walking north on the shoulder of Route 83, according to the release.

Hinsdale police approached the four individuals at which time three of them, later identified as the defendants, climbed over a wooden fence and fled while the fourth individual claimed he was the victim of a robbery and ultimately escaped police, according to the release.

The sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement agencies established a perimeter and arrested the three defendants after a brief search, authorities said.

Nelson allegedly was found in a window well in the 500 block of North Quincy Avenue in Hinsdale. Police allegedly found a loaded Glock 23 semi-automatic .40 caliber handgun with one bullet in the chamber in the window well, according to the release.

Williams and Hemphill were found on the same property along with two additional handguns including a loaded Glock 23 Gen 4 with an extended magazine, according to the release.

Authorities said the victim had arranged with an individual named “Reyes” to sell his car on the OfferUp mobile marketplace app.

Reyes and the victim allegedly met at the victim’s residence and went for a test drive. After the test drive, Reyes allegedly convinced the victim to walk down the street to meet a friend who had a tow truck, authorities said.

As the victim and Reyes began walking down the street, the victim turned around and began to walk back to his car at which time the defendants, who had pulled the Charger up to the victim’s car, exited the Charger and ran toward the victim with their guns drawn, according to the release.

The defendants allegedly pointed their guns at the victim’s head, back and groin and went through his pockets stealing his wallet, car keys, a gold chain, a watch and cellphone, according to the release.

The defendants pushed the victim to the ground and fled in the victim’s car and the Charger. Authorities learned the Charger was reported stolen out of Chicago on Sept. 23.

“The allegations that Javari Williams, Tremain Nelson and Tyray Hemphill violently robbed an innocent man of his car, pointing three guns at him and tried to hide in a residential neighborhood are frightening,” DuPage Couny State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “We are all thankful that the victim in this case was not physically harmed.”

An investigation into the matter is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office at 630-407-2400.

The next court date for the three defendants is scheduled for Oct. 28 for arraignment.