Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Pushing Chef onto Blue Line Tracks
A man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for pushing a Wicker Park restaurant chef onto the Blue Line tracks at the Division Street station. The attacker, Cory Patterson, 36, also assaulted two police officers during his arrest, resulting in one officer sustaining a broken nose.
Patterson, who had a history of multiple arrests and was on pretrial release in three separate cases, committed the heinous act on November 29, 2022, at around 9:30 p.m.
The victim, Jose Duran, 28, was on his way home from work at Schwa when Patterson maliciously pushed him off the platform. Duran suffered severe injuries, including a broken nose, broken jaw, and a fractured eye socket. He underwent surgery and faced a long road to recovery, as documented on a GoFundMe page set up to support him.
Thanks to the quick actions of a CTA employee who witnessed the attack on a live security camera feed, the police were alerted and Patterson was apprehended shortly after fleeing the scene. During his arrest, Patterson admitted to the crime and showed no remorse.
Prosecutors revealed that Patterson not only assaulted Duran but also headbutted one of the arresting officers, breaking the officer’s nose. He further exhibited violent behavior by spitting and attempting to bite another officer, as well as shoving and spitting at a fourth officer.
Patterson pleaded guilty to aggravated battery causing great bodily harm for the attack on Duran and aggravated battery of a peace officer for assaulting the arresting officer. He received a 12-year prison sentence to be served concurrently for both charges, with a requirement to serve at least half the term before being eligible for release.
Records from the Chicago Police Department exposed Patterson’s troubling criminal history, which included convictions for aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and multiple misdemeanor offenses.
Despite being released from custody in three separate cases leading up to the attack on Duran, Patterson’s violent tendencies culminated in a shocking act that left a lasting impact on the victim and the community.
With justice served through the sentencing of Patterson, Duran and the affected officers can hopefully find closure and begin the process of healing from the traumatic events.
