A morning walk in the Loop took a violent turn when a man with a board studded with nails allegedly assaulted a 67-year-old stranger, leaving him unconscious, and then attacked another man shortly thereafter. The suspect also clashed with police officers attempting to arrest him, according to prosecutors.
Judge John Hock has ordered the detention of Darion Turley, 27, from River Grove, on five counts of aggravated battery related to the incidents on May 22.
Prosecutors stated that the first attack occurred around 8:30 a.m. near Wabash Avenue and Roosevelt Road. Turley reportedly began shouting at the older man before seizing a three-foot-long wooden two-by-four embedded with nails and swinging it “like a baseball bat.”
The victim attempted to defend himself with his cane, but Turley allegedly knocked him down, hitting him on the head and left arm. The assault left the man unconscious with a broken arm. He was taken by paramedics to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he underwent surgery and remains hospitalized, as per court records from earlier this week.
Following the initial attack, prosecutors said Turley proceeded north on Michigan Avenue, aggressively shouting at people in his path. He then pursued a 29-year-old man into traffic on Michigan Avenue, causing the victim to evade oncoming vehicles. Turley allegedly caught him and struck him on the back of the head with the nail-laden board. The second victim managed to return to the sidewalk before collapsing, according to prosecutors.
Turley continued northward until Chicago police officers located him near the 600 block of South Michigan Avenue. When officers attempted to apprehend him, Turley raised the board in a threatening manner, as noted in a detention filing. He allegedly disregarded commands to drop the weapon and punched an officer in the neck. Prosecutors said Turley kept swinging the board at the officers, though he did not hit them, and refused to comply even after being tazed. Officers eventually subdued him and took him into custody.
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