COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A rabbit fell victim to a carjacking Saturday night when a man sneaked up on a woman and her pet as they sat in the car in a University of Chicago Medicine parking lot.
The 20-year-old woman was sitting in her black Chevy Malibu, talking on her cellphone and using her tablet computer near the 5800 block of South Maryland Street shortly before 10 p.m., Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said.
A man approached and pressed a cold, metal object against her neck as he demanded she hand over her possessions, Scaduto said. When the woman did not immediately comply, the man pulled her out of the car and jumped in the driver's seat.
With the woman's "live pet rabbit in the passenger seat," the carjacker took off, Scaduto said. But a good Samaritan chased him, driving behind the stolen Malibu and honking until police caught up.
The alleged carjacker, identified as Steven Wilson, 45, jumped from the moving car and ran, leaving the Malibu to crash into a parked car, prosecutors said.
Police arrested Wilson, who was identified by the victim and charged with felony vehicular hijacking as well as a misdemeanor for fleeing and attempting to allu police.
Wilson was ordered held on $750,000 bail Monday.
And the pet and its owner were reunited.
"The phone, the tablet and the rabbit were all recovered," Scaduto said.
Prosecutors did not say whether the rabbit sustained injuries in the crash.
The woman could not be reached for comment.
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