2 Men Tried To Escape Orland Park Police, Had Modified Handguns: OPPD

ORLAND PARK, IL — Two men wanted on weapons charges attempted to escape Orland Park police Tuesday after officers said they saw one of the men try to hide a gun during a traffic stop.

According to police, officers pulled over a car at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday after seeing the driver make "several traffic violations" while heading eastbound on 151st Street. The car pulled over in the 9100 block of 151st Street and officers walked towards the vehicle.

Officers said they saw the front seat passenger bend under his seat and reach down as they were walking towards the car. When they got to the driver and passenger's sides, police said the front seat passenger, later identified as 20-year-old Jonte Robinson, refused to roll down his window and would not give officers his real name. Officers also said they could tell Robinson was sitting on top of something.

A press release sent on Wednesday stated police asked the driver, Robinson and a backseat passenger — later identified as 18-year-old Damon Collins — to get out of the car. After directing Robinson to step out, police said he reached over to the driver's side of the car, shifted the gear stick into drive and told the driver to "go."

Since the driver's side window was rolled down, police were able to reach inside and quickly take the keys out of the ignition before the car was able to accelerate.

"Robinson, seeing that his attempt to place the vehicle in drive had failed, jumped into the back seat of the vehicle with Collins," a spokesman for the department told Patch. "Then they both exited the rear driver's side door and began to run."

Police intercepted the two as they tried to get out of the car, officials said. When Robinson got up from his seat, officers said he revealed a handgun he had been sitting on.

In addition to the handgun, police discovered Collins had a loaded Glock on him with an extended magazine. The Glock had been modified with a switch that changed the gun into an automatic weapon. The serial numbers were also filed off.

The weapon Robinson had on his seat was a fully loaded handgun as well. Underneath his seat, officers said they found a bag containing another loaded Drako AK-47 rifle. After arresting Robinson and Collins, police said they discovered the pair were both wanted on separate outstanding warrants in connection to aggravated unlawful use of weapons charges.

Robinson was wanted by the Illinois Department of Corrections and Collins by the Chicago Police Department.

Orland Fire District officials told Patch they took officers to a local hospital where they were treated for some minor injuries they got while arresting Robins and Collins. All officers were released the same day, a spokeswoman for the village said.

Robinson is facing felony charges of aggravated unlawful use of a machine gun and aggravated resisting arrest, with two counts each. He also was charged with a misdemeanor for giving officers a fake name when they asked for identification.

Collins is facing three felony counts of possession of a defaced firearm, aggravated resisting arrest and unlawful use of weapons.

The driver of the vehicle was cited for traffic violations and released. Robinson and Collins, however, were taken to Bridgeview Courthouse where Robinson was issued a bond of $10,000 and Collins was issued a bond of $5,000.