Chicago Man Charged with Attempted Murder After Machete Attack on Neighbor
A 53-year-old Chicago man, Jose Hernandez, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder following a violent machete attack on his 38-year-old female neighbor in the Lawndale neighborhood.
The incident took place around 6:25 p.m. on June 8 in the 2100 block of South Pulaski Road, as reported by the Chicago Police Department.
According to court documents, the victim, a construction company owner, was in an alley getting ready to pay a worker when Hernandez allegedly approached her with a machete.
Prosecutors revealed that Hernandez viciously attacked the woman, striking her multiple times on her head, neck, back, arm, and torso. The assault resulted in several lacerations that required medical attention at Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Following the attack, the victim’s son and two other witnesses chased Hernandez down the alley. During the pursuit, Hernandez swung the machete again, causing a minor injury to one of the men. Eventually, the group managed to subdue Hernandez, disarm him, and check on the victim before authorities arrived at the scene.
In a detention petition, prosecutors mentioned that Hernandez confessed to the police, expressing remorse for his actions and acknowledging that he had been drinking prior to the incident.
Hernandez claimed that the woman owed him $800 for work he had done for her and alleged that she refused to pay him more because of his undocumented status. However, the woman told law enforcement that Hernandez had a history of alcohol abuse and that she had ceased hiring him due to his drinking habits.
After reviewing the case, Judge Shauna Boliker granted the prosecution’s detention petition, ordering Hernandez to remain in custody until his trial.
