Bond denied for two men charged in Woodridge gas station robbery

Bond was denied Feb. 7 for two Chicago men accused of robbing a Woodridge BP gas station at gunpoint.

Derrick Johnson, 21, of the zero to 100 block of North Central Avenue, and Eddie Boens, 22, of the 5100 block of West Washington Boulevard, each have been charged with one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

On Feb. 6 at about 1:12 a.m., Woodridge police responded to a call of an armed robbery that occurred at the BP gas station, 6820 Route 53. The suspects had fled the scene before police arrived.

Prior to the dispatch call, the two men allegedly entered the gas station, wearing gloves and their faces were mostly covered so only their eyes could be seen. Johnson allegedly jumped over the clerk’s counter while the other defendant pointed what appeared to be a handgun, later identified as a pellet gun, at the clerk and ordered him to open the cash register. The clerk complied at which time both offenders allegedly took cash from the register as well as cigarettes, the release stated.

Both men fled in a car that was reported stolen out of Chicago the previous day. At approximately 1:46 a.m., a Burr Ridge police office spotted the car at a gas station and attempted to initiate a traffic stop but the vehicle was able to get away. The officer located the car a short distance away where it ultimately crashed near 94th and Jackson streets in Burr Ridge.

The two occupants of the vehicle, later identified as Johnson and Boens, were arrested. An investigation revealed that Boens was the driver of the car and remained in the vehicle during the alleged robbery. Johnson allegedly entered the BP gas station with another, yet unidentified, individual, the release stated.

“It is alleged that under the cover of night, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Boens and an unidentified accomplice, traveled to DuPage County, robbed a gas station and threatened a clerk at gunpoint who was just trying to earn an honest living,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “This type of violent criminal behavior has no place in civilized society and will absolutely not be tolerated in DuPage County.”

“I would like to thank the surrounding law enforcement agencies for their quick and coordinated response that led to this arrest, Woodridge Chief of Police Brian Cunningham said in the release. “In addition. I would like to recognize the dedicated efforts by the Burr Ridge Police Department, the DuPage County States Attorney’s Office and the members of the Woodridge Police Department for bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”