EAST CHICAGO | Police have identified and are hunting for the suspect in Monday's attack and robbery at the South Shore station, officials said.
Jawaun Dontell Woods, 24, was charged Thursday with attempted murder while committing a robbery and robbery resulting in a serious bodily injury, both Class A felonies, and carjacking, a Class B felony.
Woods, of Gary, was not in police custody late Thursday and the car taken during the attack had not been found, according to a Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District Police news release.
The car is a 2005 silver Honda Accord with an Illinois license plate of H713340.
Police are considering Woods armed and dangerous and ask anyone who comes into contact with him or knows where he is to immediately call 911.
A 28-year-old Chicago man suffered a cut to his neck and lacerations on his hand when he was attacked at 5:42 p.m. Monday in the men's bathroom at the East Chicago train station, said NICTD Police Chief Bob Byrd.
The victim had parked his car and was waiting for his wife to get off the train when he went into the bathroom, police said.
Byrd said Woods approached the victim in the bathroom, attacked him and took his keys, wallet and phone.
The victim ran from the bathroom into the parking lot, and Woods got into the man's car and drove away, police said.
Within 40 minutes of leaving the train station, Woods went to the Walmart in Lansing and bought three Lady Gaga CDs using the victim's credit card, police said.
Tips from the public and video from Walmart helped police identify Woods as the attacker, police said.
After the attack, the victim was rushed to the hospital, where he was treated and released. He was able to identify Woods in a police photo lineup, the news release states.
Woods pleaded guilty to Class D felony criminal recklessness in 2009 after he hit a man with a car, Lake County court records state.
Charges of attempted murder as a Class A felony, aggravated battery as a Class B felony and two Class C felony counts of battery were dismissed in exchange for his plea.
Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, working as a court-appointed public defender, represented him as the criminal recklessness case proceeded.
A call to Freeman-Wilson seeking comment Thursday was not immediately returned.
Woods served time at the Lake County Jail in connection with that case but was not ordered to the state Department of Correction.
A warrant for his arrest was issued Thursday, police said.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call transit police at (219) 398-6000.
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