A St. Louis carjacker is headed to the slammer after a high-speed chase left police hot on his heels.
La’Vontray Hayes-Williams, 28, of Jennings, Missouri, pulled out a handgun and stole a 2018 Nissan Sentra outside a Family Dollar store on July 7, 2022.
The victim, who was behind the wheel, refused to give up the car. Hayes-Williams then fled, sparking a nearly 10-mile chase that reached speeds of over 100 mph.
Police finally caught up with Hayes-Williams, and he was taken into custody. He was later charged with one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Hayes-Williams pleaded guilty to the charges in January and was sentenced to 105 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj prosecuted it as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by bringing together law enforcement and community organizations to work towards safer neighborhoods.
Hayes-Williams’ sentence sends a clear message that carjacking will not be tolerated in St. Louis. The community can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that justice has been served.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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