Aug. 02--A North Side man is charged with first-degree murder after prosecutors say he helped a co-defendant chase down and fatally shoot another man in the chest over Memorial Day weekend in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.
Giovanni Rios, 19, appeared in bond court Saturday, where his bail was set at $1 million in the May 24 slaying of Ruben Feliciano Jr., 20. Joseph Thrane, 18, has already been charged and indicted on murder charges in the slaying, prosecutors said.
Feliciano, of the 2400 block of North Sacramento Avenue, was one of 12 people who were fatally shot across Chicago during this year's Memorial Day weekend.
About 4 p.m. May 24, Feliciano was driving his car while three people he was with trailed him in separate cars, prosecutors said. A black Saturn SUV, driven by Rios and occupied by three others, including Thrane, blocked the path of Feliciano's car, prosecutors said. Those in the SUV allegedly began flashing gang signs at Feliciano.
Prosecutors said Thrane then got out of the rear passenger-side door of the SUV, approached Feliciano's car and threw a beer bottle at it. Thrane then tried to open Feliciano's door, but Feliciano was able to drive around the SUV and ride away, prosecutors said.
Thrane got back into the SUV, and Rios began driving toward Feliciano and his friends, prosecutors said. Rios caught up to Feliciano's car and began ramming it from behind, causing Feliciano's car to spin around so that it was facing the SUV, prosecutors said.
Thrane then began shooting at Feliciano, hitting the car and striking Feliciano in the chest, prosecutors said. Feliciano tried to drive away, but he hit several parked cars as his car stopped near Spaulding Avenue and Division Street, prosecutors said. The SUV sped away and Feliciano died of his wound.
Authorities said multiple witnesses identified Rios as the driver of the SUV and Thrane as the shooter. Thrane was arrested May 31, and an arrest warrant was issued for Rios. Rios was arrested at 2:31 p.m. Thursday at the 5100 Block of West Melrose Street, according to court documents.
Rios, of the 1000 block of North Paulina Street in the East Ukrainian Village neighborhood, is next due in court Monday.
meltagouri@tribpub.com
