A Gary man described as homeless has been charged in connection with the stabbing of a Chicago man in the restroom of the East Chicago South Shore train station.

Jawaun Dontell Woods, 24, remains at large but has been formally charged in Lake County with attempted murder, attempted murder while committing a robbery, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, and carjacking, NICTD Transit Police said.

If arrested and convicted on all counts, Woods would face a maximum term of 170 years in prison.

“Woods is not in police custody,” police said. “He is considered armed and dangerous by police and anyone who comes in contact with him, or knows of his location, should immediately call 911 and notify police of his location.”

According to police, at 5:42 p.m. Monday, a 28-year-old Chicago man was using a restroom at the East Chicago South Shore station when a man approached him from behind, pulled his head backwards, and slashed his throat with a knife.

The victim attempted to fight his attacker, who kept yelling “Give me your keys or I will kill you,” police said. The victim subsequently did throw his keys, cell phone, and wallet to the ground, which the suspect took. The suspect then fled the station and stole the victim’s car, a silver 2005 Honda with Illinois plate H713340.

That Honda has not yet been recovered by police and remains a stolen vehicle.

Woods was identified as the suspect after Transit Police determined that, 40 minutes after the incident, Woods used the victim’s stolen credit card to purchase three Lady Gaga CDs from a Lansing, Ill., Wal-Mart, police said.

“Video obtained from the store, along with telephone calls from the public, helped to identify Woods as a suspect in this case,” police said. “The victim was later able to identify Woods as his attacker from a police photo line-up.”

The Chicago man was treated at an area hospital and later released.

Posted 11/30/2012