Car Smashes Into Nakamol Jewelry Store After Barreling Down Michigan Avenue
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A car crashed into the Nakamol jewelry store on Michigan Avenue downtown Sunday afternoon after barreling down Michigan Avenue and breaking all kinds of traffic laws, police said.
CBS 2's Steven Graves talked on Sunday to shaken-up witnesses, store workers, and the owner of the car – which police and the owner himself said was stolen.
The owner said over the phone that he uses the car to teach his son to drive. He woke up Sunday morning to find it stolen from his apartment.
Hours later, it ended up on Michigan Avenue downtown, where suspects rammed it into the jewelry store in front of a crowd of people.
Just before 4 p.m., the car smashed into the Nakamol Chicago store at 336 N. Michigan Ave. just south of Wacker Drive.
The Fire Department said the building did not sustain any structural damage.
At the scene, shards of glass lay in front of the shattered storefront, and people who saw it all were shaken up.
"Freaked out," a woman said. "It was scary."
"It was a big explosion," a man said.
It started as a serene Sunday on North Michigan Avenue.
"I came because it was a nice day, beautiful day," a man said.
But it turned to chaos.
"Cops coming from all angles," the woman said.
Leading up to the crash, Near North (18th) District officers saw a driver in traffic who was driving erratically and running red lights while headed south down the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue, police said.
Officers tried to pull over the vehicle, but the driver kept going, police said.
"He had to be going at least 100," the woman said.
Witnesses described what they called a chase, but police said they did not pursue the vehicle.
"I want to clarify. I don't think the officers were chasing," said police News Affairs Officer Jose Jara. "They curbed the vehicle. The vehicle took off on them."
A few moments later on the other side of the Chicago River, the car slammed into the jewelry store.
Three men were arrested at the scene, and one was taken to AMITA Health St. Joseph Hospital for minor injuries and was in good condition, police said.
Workers surveying the damage at the store looked devastated, CBS 2's Steven Graves reported.
Police said the car did not belong to the suspects. It turned up stolen out of Des Plaines, and a report of the theft was made earlier Sunday.
Meanwhile, Nakamol was left to build back up.
The Nakamol store is right next door to the Chicago Sports apparel store at 332 N. Michigan Ave., which was looted and set on fire during civil unrest downtown back on Saturday, May 30. That building remains boarded up with visible fire damage.
Nakamol was also looted that night and had just started to recover, according to workers.
Police said the suspects in custody are all in their 20s and known to officers.
