Second man linked to car theft ring in metro-east charged
One of two brothers who police on both sides of the river say are suspects in a car theft ring was charged by the St. Clair County State’s Attorneys office with being in possession of a stolen vehicle. being a felon in possession of a weapon, and obstructing a police officer..
Alonzo Hoffman, of 1504 Martin Luther King Drive, East St. Louis, was charged by St, Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomric with unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle.
The charging document says that on March 9, a Belleville police officer spotted him driving a red Chevrolet Impala that belonged to Shannon Wilson. The paperwork says he knew the car he was driving was stolen and he chose not to stop when a Belleville police officer tried to stop him.
Hoffman had a Ruger P95 handgun in the vehicle. The document said Hoffman was previously convicted in May 2018 of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.
Hoffman is being held by St. Louis County police after he fled from Cahokia police on March 21 in a stolen gray SUV. He led police on a chase from Cahokia to Interstate 255 and across the J.B. Bridge in St. Louis County. Hoffman reached speeds up 10 113 mph while weaving in and out of traffic and onto the shoulders of Interstate, police said. Earlier, he had broken into an elderly woman’s home in Cahokia and took her 65-inch flat screen television from a front room. She called 911 and later watched police chase Hoffman on another television in her home.
Hoffman with his brother, Arenzo Hoffman, hopped out and start running, she identified one of the men as Alonzo Hoffman, the man she saw inside of her house, she later told police.
Arenzo Hoffman is being held on similar charges by St. Louis County police but has not been charged in St. Clair County.
Another man, Deonta Spates, 18, of East St. Louis, was charged Friday by the St. Clair County States Attorney’s office with possession of a stolen vehicle.
In the last three weeks, police have located two cars stolen from Chesterfield, Missouri, another from Webster Groves and one more from Hazelwood. All were found in Washington Park.
