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Man Escapes Courtroom, Caught after Jump from Moving Car, Prosecutors Say

By Erin Meyer | March 6, 2014 6:40am
 London Grover tried to run from officers at a Cook County courthouse in Englewood in dramatic fashion, leaping across the tops of courtroom benches, prosecutors said.
London Grover tried to run from officers at a Cook County courthouse in Englewood in dramatic fashion, leaping across the tops of courtroom benches, prosecutors said.
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COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Apparently hoping to avoid going to jail, London Grover leapt from bench to bench in a Cook County courtroom before heading outside and jumping onto a moving car, prosecutors said.

The scene unfolded Tuesday after the 23-year-old South Side man was brought before a judge in misdemeanor court at 51st Street and Wentworth Avenue on charges that he had violated his bond, prosecutors said. While out on bond in a drug case, Grover got busted for allegedly trespassing in a vehicle and driving without a license.

When the judge ordered that he be held without bond, Glover allegedly made a run for it.

After quickly scanning the courtroom, he jumped on top of the bench behind him and then leapt to the next one until he reached the back of the courtroom, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti said.

He made it out of the courtroom and ran toward a car parked in the street with a woman sitting inside, Antonietti said. He screamed at the woman to let him in and tried the door, but the car was locked.

When the woman started to drive away, Grover allegedly jumped onto it. He held fast as she drove toward 47th Street with sheriff's deputies and a corrections officer chasing him in an inmate transport bus.

Grover was captured after he jumped off the moving car, prosecutors said. He picked up two new charges for his dramatic attempt to flee, including felony escape and contempt of court.

Deemed a "runner" by authorities, Grover had a special escort when he appeared in court on the new charges Wednesday. 

He stood before Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. shackled and flanked by two officers.

But this time, chances that Grover would make a break for it were slim given that he couldn't walk without assistance. According to prosecutors, Grover broke his left foot when he jumped from the moving car Tuesday.

Panarese ordered Grover, of the 8500 block of South Justine Street, held without bail. After the hearing, his attorney declined to comment.