The Verdict: William Swetz Found Guilty of Battery in Road Rage Incident with Kim Foxx
The man accused of throwing a Big Gulp full of root beer on former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx during a road rage altercation near her Flossmoor home has been found guilty of one felony charge and acquitted of another on Monday morning.
William Swetz, 35, was charged with aggravated battery in a public place and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle following the June 2024 incident. After a bench trial last month, Judge Tiana Blakely delivered the verdict on Monday, finding Swetz guilty of the battery charge but not guilty of vehicular assault. A post-trial motions hearing is scheduled for January 8.
Handling the prosecution was the Illinois Attorney General’s Office during Swetz’s two-day bench trial at the Markham courthouse.
According to Foxx, who was walking along the road during her morning walk, Swetz shouted obscenities at her before throwing the contents of his Big Gulp cup in her face. The incident escalated when Swetz allegedly drove his truck in reverse towards Foxx, forcing her to jump onto the curb to avoid being hit.
During the trial, Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Collins argued that Swetz used his vehicle and the soda to seek revenge on Foxx. On the other hand, Assistant Public Defender Michael Herzog contended for a misdemeanor conviction, citing the incident as a moment of mutual anger between adults.
In a statement made in August, Foxx outlined her future goals as a “collaborative trailblazer,” emphasizing the importance of building systems of accountability that focus on transformation rather than punishment.
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