A Chicago Heights man was ordered to remain in custody and faces several felony charges after police say he kidnapped two people and held one for ransom.
Donnail Hannah, 37, of the 19400 block of Glenwood Dyer Road, was arrested Wednesday in the parking lot of the Wind Creek Chicago Southland casino in East Hazel Crest, according to Cook County sheriff’s police.
Sheriff’s police received a call Wednesday from a person who said a caller told them their family member was kidnapped and a ransom was demanded, police said in a news release.
The person, later identified as Hannah, had threatened to kill the male unless the family paid the money, police said.
An investigation determined Hannah asked the man for a ride and, once in the car, pointed a gun at the man and told him to reactivate a ride-sharing app, police said.
The man worked as an Uber driver but was not picking up customers, and Hannah happened upon him at a gas station in Harvey at about 2 a.m. Wednesday, according to a court filing.
The man was forced to pick up a woman in Lansing who requested a ride from the rideshare driver, and as she got into the back seat saw Hannah pointing a gun, police said.
At some point between Harvey and Lansing, Hannah fired two shots out of the passenger window of the man’s vehicle, according to a court filing.
Hannah told the man to drive to a gas station in Ford Heights to pick up the ransom money and, once they arrived, ordered the female to get out of the car and pick up the money, police said.
However, she fled after getting out the car and called police.
At that point, Hannah took over in the driver’s seat, and the vehicle headed toward the casino, just after 3 a.m., according to the court filing.
Sheriff’s police said Hannah and the man were found later that day at the casino parking lot and taken into custody.
At some point between Ford Heights and East Hazel Crest, Hannah fired a round into the rear passenger seat, disabling the car’s fuel system and causing it to stall, according to the court filing. He then got out and tossed an object, which turned out to be a gun, into some bushes, according to the document.
Hannah was charged with two counts of aggravated kidnapping with a firearm and one count of vehicular hijacking with a firearm, according to police.
He had an initial appearance Friday at the Markham courthouse, where he was ordered held, and his next court date is Jan. 9.