Authorities have charged two men with a February 2023 Libertyville-area carjacking in which, authorities say, they ran over a woman and kidnapped her toddler, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
The men, who are 19, are in custody on unrelated charges, the sheriff’s office said. They were both 17 at the time they committed the crime, so their cases have been assigned to juvenile court, police said.
For that reason, the sheriff’s office said their identities have not yet been released. One of the suspects is from Waukegan and the other from Lindenhurst, authorities said. They have been charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking.
According to police, the pair carjacked the woman on Feb. 23, 2023, at around 3:30 p.m. The woman and her 2-year-old son had pulled into her driveway on Illinois 137 near Libertyville when the pair pulled in behind them in a 2000s BMW.
One of them battered the woman and then drove off in her SUV with the child still inside, authorities said. The woman was run over and suffered serious injuries to her extremities, police said. The child was abandoned a short time later in the parking lot of a Waukegan business.
Someone from the business saw what happened and brought the child inside until police responded.
“The investigation spanned several months due to the complexity of the case and the thorough work required to build a strong evidentiary foundation,” the sheriff’s office said. “Detectives pursued dozens of leads, meticulously reviewing hours of video surveillance, physical evidence reports, and cellular tower data.”
Although the case has been referred to juvenile court, prosecutors said they are seeking to have it transferred to adult court.
The U.S. Marshals arrested a Hammond man charged with gunning down his ex-wife.
Police got a tip that Allen Oscar Woods, 39, formerly of Houston, was near the 1200 block of Canal Street in Chicago. They arrested him at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at a “local establishment” near the 1400 block of South Canal Street, according to a release.
He is awaiting extradition to Lake County.
Allen is charged with murder in the Dec. 27 shooting death of Tiffany Woods, 39, of Hammond.
In the first case, Hammond Police listed several incidents.
Allen told her in February 2022 that he would hop a flight from Texas to “shoot up” her Hammond home and “kill everyone inside,” an affidavit states.
“I can’t wait to get to you cause I’m going to torture you, I can’t wait to see you flat line, I’m going to get someone to kidnap you and bring you to me,” he said.
On March 28, 2022, he got mad about texts at their daughter’s birthday party, ripped a picture off the wall, threw and shattered the TV screen, knocked a side table over, then kept slamming Tiffany’s head into closet doors. Her mother called the cops, then tried to cancel when it appeared he calmed down.
She called Allen’s father to get him out of the house. The son tore another TV off the wall. Several children were in the house. Allen said if he went to jail, she’d “regret” it, a responding police officer wrote Tiffany said.
Tiffany told investigators in 2022 Allen threatened her at least 20 times via text or Facebook and 200 times over the phone since they split and divorced. She was in “constant fear.”
In the second stalking case, Tiffany told cops Allen chased her in a vehicle on Sept. 22, 2022 from Village Discount, 2706 165th Street, in Hammond before ramming her white Kia Optima into a pole on the 6700 block of Columbia Avenue. Allen laughed at her.
Hammond Police responded at 2:22 p.m. Dec. 27 to Cleveland Street and the Jackson Avenue alley.
Witnesses waved cops to Tiffany, who was shot in the head, lying in the middle of Cleveland Street. Allen jogged to her white Kia parked in front of his relative’s home and fled on Kenwood Street.
Allen called relatives and said he killed his ex-wife, according to the affidavit.
Witnesses said Allen ran, chasing her south while opening fire twice on the 6300 block of Jackson Avenue.
“HELP,” Tiffany screamed.
They rounded east onto Cleveland Street where he shot at her again, records show. Witnesses said he stood over her and fired a couple more shots around 4 p.m.; it was an “execution-style” killing, Hammond Det. Michael Elkmann wrote.
In November 2021, his father, Allen Woods, Jr., got probation for a shooting.
Trying to get his son — the younger Allen O. Woods — under control after a “domestic incident” on March 28, 2021 involving the son’s ex-wife, the father fired off warning shots that struck his son and nephew.
The older man was at first charged with attempted murder, among other counts. At the sentencing hearing, the elder Woods’ family — including his son’s ex-wife — showed up en masse to plead his case.
They told Judge Salvador Vasquez that the son was the problem that day. Several family members said Woods went to control his son that day who had been allegedly attacking his ex-wife after a birthday party for their 6-year-old daughter.
The elder Woods said he still supported her, due to the children, even though the son divorced her. At the time, there was a no-contact order that prohibited him from reaching out to his son.
The nephew, wounded that day, said he was backup for his uncle. His cousin was “acting like an animal” beating his ex-wife. The son was pulling TVs off the wall and smashing pictures. He encouraged her to press charges.
After listening, Vasquez gave the elder Woods a break — probation. Just outside the courtroom, after it was clear the elder man would avoid prison, the woman appeared to make a prayer gesture in relief.
Chicago Police, Illinois Department of Corrections, Hammond Police and U.S. Marshals’ Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force collaborated on Allen Oscar Woods’ arrest.
Hammond Central moves to No. 1, and Lowell’s Bre Kidd is the player of the week.
TOP 10
With records through Wednesday and previous rankings in parentheses.
1. Hammond Central 11-3 (2)
Indiah Hutchinson puts up 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists, six steals and two blocked shots in the Wolves’ win against Valparaiso.
2. Valparaiso 9-7 (1)
Lillian Barnes
posts 16 points, five rebounds and three assists in the Vikings’ loss to Lawrence North.
3. Lake Central 12-6 (3)
Vanessa Wimberly eclipses 1,000 career points in the Indians’ loss to Homestead.
4. Marquette 12-4 (4)
Laniah Davis notches 21 points, 10 rebounds and three steals in the Blazers’ win against Tippecanoe Valley.
5. Merrillville 8-6 (6)
Kylie Wells
registers 24 points, six rebounds and three steals in the Pirates’ win against Michigan City.
6. Crown Point 9-8 (7)
Gia Gagianas contributes 12 points and four rebounds in the Bulldogs’ win against Faith Christian.
7. Chesterton 10-6 (5)
Kenedi Bradley records 15 points and five assists in the Trojans’ win against Wawasee.
8. Morton 14-3 (8)
Chanteze Holland
pours in 44 points and adds seven rebounds in the Governors’ win against Bowman.
9. Andrean 8-9 (10)
Lindsay Arcella
needs 15 points to reach 1,000 for her career entering the 59ers’ game against Morgan Township on Thursday.
10. Munster 9-7 (9)
Igbo Odeluga grabs 19 rebounds in the Mustangs’ win against Washington Township.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior guard Bre Kidd
scores 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting from 3-point range and also records three rebounds and three assists during Lowell’s 56-32 win against Highland on Tuesday.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater has added a major, pre-Broadway engagement to its season: A British musical telling an American story, playing in The Yard theater on Navy Pier from May 24 to June 29.
“42 Balloons,” which was widely acclaimed in its spring 2024 premiere in the North of England, is the story of “Lawnchair Larry” Walters, a real-life Vietnam veteran who, in 1982, made a quixotic, solo 45-minute flight above Southern California in a lawn chair, lifted by 42 (or maybe 43) helium-filled weather balloons. He flew as high as 16,000 feet.
“42 Balloons,” which has an original pop score themed to the power ballads, funk and glam rock sounds of the 1980s, premiered at the Lowry in Salford, Manchester, last spring to much critical acclaim. “This is a wonderfully paradoxical, inspiring new British musical by the budding writer-composer Jack Godfrey,” wrote Donald Hutera, a critic for The Times on London. “Whip-smart, funny and unexpectedly but exceptionally touching, it lifts us up in the first act only to emotionally plummet us back down in the second.”
The lead commercial producer of “42 Balloons” is Kevin McCollum, also the producer of “Rent” “The Notebook” and “Six,” the third a massive recent hit which also began its North American trajectory at Chicago Shakespeare.
Edward Hall, that theater’s artistic director, said in a phone interview that he saw “42 Balloons” at the Lowry and was “very excited” to bring it to Chicago. Other commercial producers involved include Andy and Wendy Barnes, also producers of “Six,” and Sonia Friedman Productions, a powerhouse in British theater. Godfrey’s show will be helmed at Chicago Shakespeare by its original young director, Ellie Coote, presumably with an eye on the 2025-26 Broadway season.
Ticket details have not yet been announced. For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com
.
St. Francis guard Nick Niego
is one of many branches on a lush family tree.
It started decades ago when Ron
and Pat Niego
had eight children, with seven playing basketball in college at Lewis after prepping at either De La Salle or Maria.
Those offspring had offspring of their own, and more than two dozen Niegos or Collins or McNamaras or Pozdols are involved in sports.
They all got together during the holidays, but Nick fondly remembers summers going to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin and mixing it up with his aunts, uncles and cousins.
“Years ago, we would all to Wisconsin and have pickup games,” he said. “That was a good time. I was one of the younger players. Sometimes, I would go against some of the older guys.”
No competitions were held during a recent Christmas gathering, but there was conversation.
“We talked about everything — football, basketball,” Nick said. “Some of the guys are working and they talked about that. We talked about college.”
Ah, college.
Nick is right in the middle of that, following in the footsteps of his older siblings.
St. Francis’ Nick Niego (5) gets set to defend against Governors State during a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference game in University Park on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Quinn
played basketball at Brother Rice and St. Xavier. Josh
played basketball at Brother Rice, Lewis and St. Xavier. Charley
played volleyball at Mother McAuley, Notre Dame and North Carolina, while Grace
played volleyball at Mother McAuley and was a manager at St. Xavier.
Nick, a sophomore, is in the middle of his second season at St. Francis in Joliet. He’s being relied on to be a spark off the bench.
Niego chipped in with three points and a steal in 11 minutes Wednesday night during a 70-66 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference win over Governors State in University Park.
That came after he put in a career-high 16 points on Dec. 30 in a 92-75 win over Goshen at the USF New Year’s Classic in Joliet.
The Saints (12-1, 6-1) are fighting for a conference championship, and Niego figures to be a key part of it.
St. Francis’ Nick Niego (5) watches his 3-pointer go through against Governors State during a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference game in University Park on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
“He is so consistent,” St. Francis coach Ryan Marks
said. “His preparation is consistent. His understanding of the scouting report is always terrific.
“He comes from a long line of athletes and he certainly has that gene as well.”
Marks, a Chicago native, has had a variety of coaching jobs across the nation. He returned to the area eight years ago after coaching at Texas-Pan American, then looked into recruiting a Niego.
“When I first got to St. Francis, Quinn went to St. Xavier,” Marks said. “I really liked him, but we didn’t have a scholarship available for that position. Then we recruited Josh really, really hard. Some Division II school jumped in late and he went to Lewis and he transferred to St. X.
“But when I recruited Josh, his mom told me, ‘Just remember, there are more brothers coming.’ We’re obviously thrilled to have a Niego.”
Nick is following his brothers and father, Charlie
, in playing college basketball. But he also plans on pursuing Charlie and twin brother Tom’s profession
of being a Chicago fireman.
St. Francis’ Nick Niego (5) takes a 3-pointer against Governors State during a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference game in University Park on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Nick said he wouldn’t mind a career in coaching basketball as well. He has been working with neighborhood kids in Chicago and finds it rewarding.
“It’s awesome to see kids develop,” he said. “I can tell that a lot of them work on their own, and there is a lot of progress I’ve seen with them.
“Hopefully, we’ll see some of them playing in high school.”
The 6-foot-2 Niego, meanwhile, is overcoming his own learning curve in college.
“This year, I feel a lot more comfortable,” he said. “I’m used to the speed of the game and the physicality. I’m a little undersized going up against guys who can jump out of the gym.
“The God-given talent that they have — the speed and athleticism — it’s a lot different than high school.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
