Crime & Safety

Two Men Arrested For Hijacking Car, Beating Driver In Niles

It happened as the driver was exiting a fast-food drive-through Friday. Morton Grove police also helped in the arrest. An arrest is merely an accusation, not evidence of a conviction.


Niles police have arrested and charged Edward Gonzalez, 20, of the 9600 block of N. Park Lane, Des Plaines, and Eduardo Medina, 19, of the 8800 block of Root, Niles, with vehicular hijacking, a Class 1 felony. 

The arrest occurred Friday at about 1:40 p.m. when the men entered the vehicle of a 25-year-old woman exiting the drive-through of the McDonald's on Dempster Street, trying to go westbound.  

Gonzalez entered the passenger side front door of the vehicle, police said in a statement, and told the victim to get out of the car while striking her repeatedly in the head with a closed fist.

Medina opened the front driver's side door and began pulling on the victim to remove her from the car, according to police. However, she was wearing a seatbelt, and could not be removed until Gonzalez pressed the seat belt release. They pulled her out of the vehicle and threw her on the ground. 

Officers from Morton Grove Police Departments located the vehicle minutes later. During the traffic stop, the occupants bailed out of the car of the vehicle near Shermer Road and Madison Street. Officer from Niles and Morton Grove Police Department apprehended both offenders.

The victim was treated and released from Advocate Lutheran General Hospital for injury to the head and arm. 

Gonzalez is being held with no bond. Medina has a bond of 200,000/10%. Both are still in custody. 

Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Their court date is Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. in Room 100, Branch 1 at Cook County Courthouse at 26th and California.

Sign up to receive breaking news alerts and other important Niles and Morton Grove news in a daily email from Patch.

Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.