Waukegan man gets 21 years for hijacking vehicle

A man from Waukegan was sentenced to 21 years in prison Wednesday for hijacking a car at gunpoint while a woman and her 10-year-old son were in it.

Twenty-two-year-old Elijah Monette was sentenced after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicular hijacking. Four other juveniles are facing charges for their involvement.

Officials say in March 2024, Monette and two other juveniles approached an SUV in a Waukegan Target parking lot. They ordered the woman and son out of the car at gunpoint, then drove off in it.

Waukegan police say Monette was arrested after a 20-minute, high-speed car chase. They also recovered several handguns.