An Aurora man is facing a slew of serious felony charges after a morning disturbance at an Aurora hotel escalated into a violent encounter. DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Aurora Chief of Police Matt Thomas have announced that Judge Joshua Dieden agreed to detain Grant Chandler, 26, pre-trial on charges including Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking and Armed Robbery with a Firearm. In a publicized statement, Berlin decried the violent actions, stating, "This type of violent behavior turned a routine morning into a terrifying ordeal for several innocent people."
The alleged sequence of events on January 21st began with Chandler asking the victim, a seventy-year-old man, for a ride. Upon refusal, Chandler is accused of then attempting to hijack a different vehicle, and when confronted, he seemingly assaulted the original victim and tried to flee in the man's truck. As detailed in official reports, Chandler continued his attempt to flee by interacting with passing vehicles and a garbage truck, before being apprehended following a brief struggle.
Chief Thomas highlighted the immediate danger posed by the situation, praising the quick response of Aurora Police. "Violent crimes like this strike at sense of safety people deserve in their own community," he said. Thanks to decisive police action and collaboration with the State's Attorney's Office, public safety was swiftly restored and Chandler is now facing charges with potential imprisonment of up to thirty years.
Chandler, already on probation for a 2023 cocaine delivery conviction, appears to face a legal system with little patience for repeats of such destructive behavior. The next step in this case is a court date set for February 17, 2026, before Judge Mia McPherson. As a reminder, despite the charges, Chandler holds the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise in a court of law as outlined by official sources.
