PEORIA, IL – A sudden vehicular hijacking jolted Peoria’s quiet evening on Thursday. At around 9:10 p.m., the Peoria Police were alerted to a robbery on the 1500 block of Knoxville.
According to reports, upon officers arrival, a shaken but unharmed adult male recounted how he had been intercepted on Bigelow by two armed males. They forcibly took personal items and his vehicle before fleeing the scene.
However, the story took another twist. While investigating, officers stumbled upon the stolen vehicle parked at a business on the 1800 block of S. Laramie Street. They detained the driver, 19-year-old Dallas D. Debattista. The original carjackers remain at large.
Adding to her woes, Debattista was also arrested for alleged Unlawful Possession of a Stolen Vehicle but also for Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She now resides in the Peoria County Jail.
The Peoria Police urge those with any leads on this case or other violent crimes to come forward. You can reach out to them at (309) 673-4521, tip411 anonymously, or Crime Stoppers at (309) 673-9000. All accused individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
