Court detains Aurora man charged with carjacking elderly victim at local hotel
An Aurora man accused of carjacking and assaulting a 69-year-old man at a local hotel will remain in custody ahead of his trial, according to DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Aurora Chief of Police Matt Thomas. Judge Joshua Dieden granted the state’s motion for pre-trial detention for Grant Chandler, 26, who appeared in court facing multiple felony charges.
Chandler is charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, attempted vehicular hijacking, two counts of aggravated battery, attempted possession of a stolen motor vehicle, attempt burglary, and armed robbery with a firearm. He is currently on probation following a 2023 conviction for delivery of cocaine.
Authorities responded to the Quality Inn at 4005 Gabrielle Lane in Aurora on January 21 after receiving reports of a disturbance. Investigators allege that Chandler approached the victim as he was walking from the hotel to his truck and asked for a ride. When refused, Chandler allegedly tried to enter several vehicles in the parking lot—including attempting to break into and damage them—and ultimately assaulted the truck owner during an altercation.
It is further alleged that Chandler attempted to carjack other vehicles as he fled the scene before being apprehended by police at a nearby apartment complex after a brief struggle.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said: “The carjacking and beating of an innocent man and subsequent attempted carjacking of another, as alleged in this case, will not be tolerated in DuPage County. This type of violent behavior turned a routine morning into a terrifying ordeal for several innocent people, shattering their sense of safety and leaving an entire community on edge. I commend the Aurora Police Department for their quick response to the initial call and for their work in the apprehension of the defendant in this case. Thanks to their efforts, Mr. Chandler is facing serious felony charges that carry a possible penalty of up to thirty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Sean Kinsella and Kevin Kosman for their work in securing charges against Mr. Chandler.”
Aurora Police Chief Matt Thomas stated: “Violent crimes like this strike at the sense of safety people deserve in their own community. We are grateful the victim was not more seriously injured, and our thoughts are with him as he recovers from this ordeal. Our officers responded quickly and took decisive action to stop a dangerous situation and hold the suspect accountable. We work closely with our partners in the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office to ensure those who threaten the safety of others are addressed through the justice system, and we remain committed to protecting our residents and visitors.”
Chandler's next court date is scheduled for February 17 before Judge Mia McPherson.
Officials reminded members of the public that these are only allegations; Chandler remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
Recent data shows that DuPage County schools reported an average student-to-teacher ratio of 13-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year among its over 142,000 students across more than 10,600 full-time faculty members (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx). Teacher absenteeism rates stood at 38.3% countywide during that same period—higher than Illinois’ average rate (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx).
York Community High School recorded DuPage's highest white student enrollment last year while Metea Valley High School had its highest number of multiracial students enrolled (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx). Addison Trail High School saw more Hispanic students enrolled than any other school locally (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx), while Westmore Elementary had ten Pacific Islander students—the highest such count among area schools (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx).