Prosecutors in Chicago say a man already on parole punched a Catholic Priest outside Holy Name Cathedral while trying to steal the priest’s car.
Police arrested Raleigh Ford, 19, after surveillance footage allegedly showed him trying to steal the priest’s 2015 Toyota Rav4 on May 19. Officials say Ford was already on parole for a robbery conviction at the time, according to CWBChicago.
“Any time he finds the opportunity to jump inside someone’s car to try to steal it, he does,” Judge Luciano Panici Jr. said of Ford. “The thing that is really telling about that is that he is on parole for an armed robbery when he does this. It defies logic that a person would comport themselves this way.”
Ford is allegedly seen on the video entering the Toyota from the passenger side as the priest got in his vehicle. Video shows that as the two struggle over the keys, the assailant punches the priest. However, the priest was able to run off with the keys, forcing the attacker to flee on foot.
The priest has not been publicly identified.
“The priest involved is not a member of the staff at Holy Name Cathedral,” church officials said, according to WGN. “He has recovered and is actively ministering at his parish. We appreciate the concern and prayers from the community.”
The Chicago Police reportedly IDd Ford from the video, but he wasn’t arrested until a week later, after he was allegedly involved in yet another violent incident.
Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Sorrentino reported that Ford assaulted another man inside his vehicle in the 1000 block of North Clark on May 21.
Ford allegedly waved a gun in the driver’s face before again fleeing on foot. Police tracked him down and arrested him that evening. No gun was found.
The suspect has a growing list of convictions and charges on his rap sheet, including an armed robbery conviction from 2024 and two other stolen vehicle cases. The new charges include attempted vehicular hijacking, aggravated assault, and criminal trespassing to a vehicle.
Judge Panici granted a request by prosecutors to keep Ford in jail while awaiting his court procedures. Panici called Ford a “menace to the community.”
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