WICKER PARK — A Wicker Park man who got egged by a group of rowdy youths in a car wants neighbors to know that he can help track the culprits down.
The 29-year-old man said he was sitting in his parked car in the 1400 block of West Beach Street Tuesday night when he heard "two loud bang noises" on his driver's side window.
"Not going to lie, it scared the crap out of me and thought I was being shot at, being that Chicago has a reputation right now," said the man, who has lived in Wicker Park for five years and asked not be named for fear of retaliation.
Officer Michelle Tannehill, a Chicago Police spokeswoman, confirmed the incident.
Tannehill said the man was sitting in his parked car around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday when three males unknown to him, in a newer model white Chevy sedan, pulled up along the side of his car, a Mazda 3.
"Unknown occupants from the vehicle began throwing [eggs] striking the [victim's car], causing minor damages," Tannehill said, adding that the egg tossers were three men or boys ranging in age from 16 to 20.
After the incident, the man warned others about the kids and encouraged any other victims to file a police report if their car got egged, too.
"If anyone else in the Wicker Park/Bucktown area got their vehicles egged last night, I have the suspects vehicle information if you would like to file a criminal damage to vehicle report," the man posted on Reddit.com.
Reached on Thursday, the man said he was sitting in his parked car after work and texting a friend when the eggs were thrown at him.
"I saw the yellow substance smear down my window and a white 4-door sedan filled with teenagers peel off down Beach Avenue towards Ashland," he said.
"I then put my car into gear and attempted to follow. They pretty much got away from me, but after I circled the block, I saw the vehicle enter an alley near Jewel. I continued to follow the vehicle on Beach and Julian Avenue on the streets and alleyways, but the kids started blowing stop signs and almost hit a lady walking her dog in the alley," the man wrote.
After the man saw the woman with her dog almost get hit, he said he realized that the situation was "getting dangerous" and for a moment he stopped pursuing the kids.
But on a whim, he said he figured the kids whom he saw turn left were heading for the Kennedy Expressway, so he decided to get on the highway and go east towards Downtown.
"It was like finding a needle in a haystack! I see the car ahead casually cruising as if they successfully got away! I followed a couple cars behind and followed them off the Ohio exit unnoticed. I finally had a chance to get close to them and finally got the plate number," the man said.
But as the eggers in the sedan reached the first stop light, they noticed the man pursuing them and "took a fast left" and ran a red light at the next intersection, getting away for good.
"I'm surprised they didn't cause an accident. After that, I drove home and contacted police to file a report," he said.
Tannehill said none of the eggers are in custody and Area Central Detectives are investigating.
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