Holiday Inn Parking Lot Attack Leads To Drug Dealer’s Arrest: JPD

Crime & Safety Holiday Inn Parking Lot Attack Leads To Drug Dealer’s Arrest: JPD Following the attack, Ira Cunningham was suspected of stealing the victims purse containing her keys and credit cards, Joliet police say.
Ira Cunningham was placed into custody on Saturday at 3:11 p.m., following a traffic stop in the 1700 block of McDonough Street. (Mugshot via Joliet police )
JOLIET — More than three weeks after a woman in Joliet notified authorities that she was attacked at the Holiday Inn parking lot near Houbolt Road, officers have tracked down 45-year-old Ira Cunningham after finding him with crack cocaine in his car over the weekend, the Joliet police announced.
Cunningham is now lodged at the Will County Jail where he’s facing charges of robbery, four counts of aggravated battery, four counts of domestic battery and one Illinois Department of Corrections parole violation warrant for his arrest. In addition, Joliet police said that Sunday’s arrest resulted in more charges, including fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and driving while license suspended. Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English explained that three separate events led to all of the charges for Cunningham.
Way back on March 1, at 10:33 a.m., the officers completed a report at the Joliet Police Department for a past tense domestic disturbance that occurred earlier in the morning in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn, at 1471 Rock Creek Boulevard. It was alleged that the victim was attacked by Cunningham, while in the parking lot, causing numerous injuries to the victim. Following the attack, Cunningham was suspected of stealing the victims purse containing her keys and credit cards. Cunningham also stole a cell phone and backpack from the victim.
The victim was taken to St Joseph Medical Center by the Joliet Fire Department from the Joliet Police Department for treatment of injuries sustained in the attack. Officers were unable to locate Cunningham at that time. Detectives investigating this incident obtained an arrest warrant for Cunningham on March 12. Then, on March 19, at 6:35 p.m., it is believed that Cunningham fled from the officers in a vehicle after they tried make a traffic stop in the 1800 block of Route 59.