Suspects charged after high-speed police chase in carjacked Mustang

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Marcus Johnson (left) and Myron Liggins | Chicago Police

Charges have been filed against two men who allegedly led police on a high-speed chase in a carjacked Mustang for nearly 45 minutes early Friday.

Marcus Johnson, 25, is charged with one felony count of aggravated fleeing from the police at more than 21 mph over the speed limit for the second time and one felony count of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle, according to Chicago Police. Myron Liggins, 20, is charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking with a weapon and two felony counts of armed robbery with a firearm.

The pair stole the 2014 lime-green Ford Mustang from two men, ages 21 and 22, at 9:14 p.m. Thursday at 116th and Church streets in the Morgan Park neighborhood, police said. The victims were sitting in the car when Johnson and Liggins walked up to them and forced them out at gunpoint, then stole the car with their belongings inside.

Illinois State Police troopers saw the vehicle at 1:13 a.m. Friday and pursued it, but the Mustang got away near Grand Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, police said.

CPD officers later spotted the car at South Blue Island Avenue and Damen Avenue in the Heart of Chicago neighborhood, police said.

A chase led to the 8700 block of South Union, where the Mustang crashed into a parked SUV in front of a home, police said. Johnson and Liggins got out and ran, but were caught and arrested.

The high-speed pursuit went as fast as 100 MPH and lasted almost 45 minutes, ending about 1:50 a.m., according to unconfirmed police radio chatter. It reached the North Side near North Avenue, where the Mustang turned off Lake Shore Drive only to get back on and head south.

Liggins, who lives in the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side, is being held without bail, according to police and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. Johnson, who lives in the South Shore neighborhood, was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Both men were due back in court Jan. 26, the sheriff’s office said.