18-year-old Milwaukee man charged with 11 felonies in string of carjackings

An 18-year-old Milwaukee man charged in connection with a spate of carjackings told police he was "peer pressured" into using brass knuckles to attack a woman while trying to steal her purse late last month.

Corleon Thomas, 18, of Milwaukee was charged Saturday with 11 felonies and one misdemeanor for his alleged involvement in a string of carjackings, recklessly endangering safety and using a dangerous weapon.

According to the criminal complaint:

On July 19, a woman was moving cars in her driveway on N. 69th St. in Wauwatosa when she was pushed to the ground and punched and kicked by Thomas and another man. The two stole a 2013 Toyota Corolla and a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe.

On July 21, Thomas used brass knuckles to punch a woman in the parking lot of Pacific Produce on S. 27th St. in Greenfield. He tried to drag her from the car by her leg and tried grabbing her purse. The woman used pepper spray on Thomas, and he left.

The woman sustained significant injuries to her face, including lacerations, swelling and trauma, and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Thomas later told police he was "peer pressured" into attacking the woman.

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On July 26, a woman told officers that someone stole her 2014 Buick LaCrosse. GPS tracked the car to a spot on N. 84th St. in Milwaukee, and when an officer arrived he saw a man jump out of the driver seat and run. Police found a fingerprint of Thomas' in the car. Police found his fingerprints in another stolen vehicle two days later.

On Aug. 1, Thomas helped two other men steal a 2016 Honda Accord from a man at a gas station. On Aug. 8, law enforcement found Thomas driving that same 2016 Honda Accord on S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in Milwaukee.

Squad cars pursued Thomas for 24 minutes and 21 miles on residential streets in Milwaukee and Glendale. Thomas drove up to 105 mph, drove on the wrong side of the road and drove into oncoming traffic. He eventually stopped on N. 22nd St. and ran before he was taken into custody.

Thomas' preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday.