Sunday, February 10, 2013
In the past week, you may have missed stories about a new furniture store, teens surpassing a fundraising challenge, a judge found not guilty by insanity, texting and driving, physical fitness and using a Merry Go Round in Orland Park and nearby.
MONDAY Mercedes Tax Share Adjusted and More (Live Blog Transcript) Orland Park trustees voted Monday night on a slew of items that have passed committee. Finance, technology and parks and recreation committees also met. Read our live blog transcript for a full recap of the meeting. Business Comings & Goings: Furniture Store Coming to Former Dominick’s My Bike shop closes in Tinley. • Dickey's Barbecue closes in Orland. • Bank has discount coupons for Chicago Auto Show. TUESDAY Orland Park Police Blotter: Driver Accused of Texting and Driving While on Xanax Orland Park police reports, Jan. 11-15 Cook County Judge Found Not Guilty by Insanity in Battery Case Judge Cynthia Brim, who has a long history of mental illness, was found not guilty …
Friday, February 8, 2013
Jonathan Sarolas pleaded guilty to felony carjacking Thursday and was sentenced to 12 years in state prison, while the woman he said was his accomplice has asked for a bench trial.
A man who admitted to carjacking an Orland Park restaurant employee last summer with a BB gun was sentenced to 12 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections Thursday, but the woman he said helped him plan the crime is moving forward with a trial. Jonathan Sarolas, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking, a class X felony, in Judge John J. Hynes' Bridgeview courtroom. He has been in Cook County Jail on $700,000 bond since he was captured for the June 25, 2012 incident. Sarolas' arrest was also a parole violation for a 2006 robbery conviction and he had been released from prison 11 days before the carjacking. He was credited with 224 days time served and will also have to pay $725 in court costs. However, 24-…
Sunday, January 13, 2013
In the past week, you may have missed stories about water rates, attempted murder and BB gun carjacking cases in court, a missing teen, a local sports hero, a 16-year prison sentence and others in Orland Park and nearby.
MONDAY Water Rates Increase Sent to Full Board and More (Live Blog Transcript) Orland Park trustees discussed raising rates by about $64 a year for average water use to account for increases handed down from Chicago and Oak Lawn. Read our live blog transcript from Monday night's meeting. Business Comings & Goings: Outriggers Loses Lease in Tinley Park Fashion Bug closing in Orland Hills • Animal hospital expanding in Tinley Park • Limestone Grill closes in Palos Heights TUESDAY D135 Makes Hundreds of Snowflakes for Sandy Hook Victims Orland School District 135 answered the call to help ease Sandy Hook Elementary School students’ transition to a different building for the second half of the school year by making snowflakes. Judge Won't …
Friday, January 11, 2013
The next court date for a man and a woman accused of carjacking an Orland Park restaurant employee with a BB gun could determine whether the pair will go to trial or consider a deal.
Attorneys for two people accused of carjacking an Orland Park restaurant employee last summer will have to indicate next month whether the pair will go to trial or want to resolve the case with a plea, a Cook County judge said Thursday. At a hearing in his Bridgeview courtroom, Judge John J. Hynes reminded counsel for Jonathan Sarolas, 25, and April Schmidt, 24, that the exchange of evidence is complete in the case and the next status date should determine whether they want to move forward with a trial. Both have been charged with felony aggravated vehicular hijacking. On June 25, police say Sarolas held up the employee with a BB pistol and stole her car keys and purse, before Sarolas and Schmidt fled the parking lot of Red Lobster in …
Monday, November 19, 2012
Lawyers said Thursday that they are finished with the discovery phase of the felony carjacking case against Jonathan Sarolas and April Schmidt, who are accused of stealing the car of an Orland Park restaurant employee with a BB gun.
Attorneys for both sides have finished exchanging evidence in a felony case against two people accused of carjacking an Orland Park restaurant employee with a BB gun, officials said Thursday. The next court date for Jonathan Sarolas, 24, and April Schmidt, 23, may include pre-trial motions, though a defense attorney for Sarolas hasn't ruled out a plea agreement before then. "There's always the chance of an agreement," attorney Gus Kostopoulos told Patch after a brief status hearing on the case in Judge John J. Hynes' Bridgeview courtroom. However, "I haven't spoken to any [prosecutors] about it," he added. Police say Sarolas held up the employee with a BB pistol and stole her car keys and purse, before Sarolas and Schmidt fled the parking …
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
A defense attorney for April Schmidt, who is accused of assisting a man with carjacking an Orland Park restaurant employee with a BB gun, received more evidence in the case in court Tuesday.
A woman who has been facing charges connected to an Orland Park carjacking appeared briefly in a Bridgeview courtroom Tuesday, as her defense attorney received more evidence for the case. April Schmidt, 23, of Woodriver, is charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking, and is out on bail. Schmidt pleaded not guilty on Aug. 2, along with Jonathan Sarolas, 24, who remains in custody on $700,000 bail. Wearing a thin hoodie and jeans, Schmidt didn't speak as she stood next to attorney Timothy M. Grace in Judge John J. Hynes' courtroom. Grace received "packets of discovery" from prosecutor Debbie Lawler. Grace told Patch after the hearing that he was appearing for his partner, Marc E. Gottreich, and declined further comment on the case. …
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Jonathan Sarolas, 23, will be back in court on Aug. 15 on an aggravated vehicular hijacking charge after he was accused of carjacking an Orland Park restaurant employee with a BB gun.
Jonathan Sarolas, the 23-year-old man accused of carjacking an Orland Park restaurant employee with a BB gun, pleaded not guilty to charges against him, officials confirmed this week. Cook County State's Attorney's Office spokesman Andy Conklin told Patch Monday that Sarolas pleaded not guilty on Aug. 2. He is facing an aggravated vehicular hijacking, a Class X felony, with Judge Colleen Hyland presiding. Bail was set at $700,000 in the case by Judge Peter Felice for Sarolas, who had been released from state prison 11 days before the alleged incident on June 25. April Schmidt, 23, of Woodriver, who police say was Sarolas' accomplice, was also charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking. Schmidt also pleaded not guilty on Aug. 2 in front …
Sunday, July 8, 2012
We look back at a week of outdoor celebrating, property tax rebate plans, new frozen yogurt, Independence Day, garage sales, police’s views on heroin use and drug treatment near Orland.
MONDAY Party in the Park Rocks Orland Hills (Gallery) The village continues its summer festival after last year’s 50th anniversary. Comings & Goings: Red Mango Heads to Orland Also in today's Business Comings & Goings, an eye care office opens and a gyros restaurant closes in Tinley Park. TUESDAY Alleged BB Gun Carjacker Gets $700,000 Bail A Cook County Circuit Court judge set the bail amount Tuesday morning after considering Jonathan Sarolas, 23, had been out of state prison just 11 days before the carjacking occurred. Orland Park Trustees to Vote on $2.5 Million Property Tax Rebate Now the whole board has to vote on the rebate plan, after the finance committee looked it over at Monday night’s Orland Park Village Board Meeting. WEDNESDAY …
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Jonathan Sarolas is facing a felony charge less than two weeks after he was released from prison.
Eleven days after Jonathan Sarolas, 23, of Homer Glen was released from state prison, following serving a sentence for burglary convictions, he attempted to steal a woman’s car in Orland Park using a BB gun and fled from police through a wooded area. Sarolas was caught less than a week later at the Midlothian Metra stop, and now he’s back in custody. On Tuesday, Sarolas stood before Judge Peter Felice with a new felony charge to face, aggravated vehicular hijacking. Felice was about to grant a $500,000 bail, but upped it to $700,000 when he learned about Sarolas’ recent prison sentence. Sarolas didn’t speak during the court hearing, and his attorney declined to comment about the case. Read on for more details of Sarolas’ Tuesday court …
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
A Cook County Circuit Court judge set the bail amount Tuesday morning after considering Jonathan Sarolas, 23, had been out of state prison just 11 days before the carjacking occurred.
Judge Peter Felice was about to set bail Tuesday morning at $500,000 for Jonathan Sarolas, 23, who is accused of carjacking an Orland Park restaurant employee with a BB gun last week. But considering that Sarolas had been released from state prison just 11 days before the June 25 incident, Felice upped the amount to $700,000 during a bond hearing at Bridgeview Courthouse on Tuesday, July 3. "So, this is a parole violation?" Felice asked prosecutors. When they confirmed the violation, Felice raised the bail. Attorneys for Sarolas asked for a "reasonable bond," noting that the Homer Glen man is a high school graduate and has completed "some college" at Lakewood College. That information didn't help Sarolas, who was taken into custody by the …
Jack Inhoff
12:36 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Hey- to be fair, the guy almost made it 2-full weeks out of prison. He was getting his life back together and he even had a nice girlfriend. The girlfriend will get a much more lenient sentence. They always do. more ›