Story posted Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Pair Allegedly Beaten By Group With Golf Clubs
Prospect Hts. police charged two men with two counts each of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm after two individuals were found lying in the street after they were allegedly beaten.
The two men charged in the incident were an 18-year-old male from Rolling Meadows and Ranferi Vasquez, 27, of 9345 Western Ave. in Niles.
According to police, on Saturday, May 9, at approximately 1:47 a.m., police responded to a fight in progress at 854 Piper Ln. Police found two victims lying in the street and Prospect Hts. Fire District personnel transported those victims to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
Witnesses interviewed at the scene told police that four males and one female exited a red pick-up truck and proceeded to beat two victims with golf clubs and kick the victims once they were on the ground, police said. The witnesses also said the pick-up truck had one window that was smashed out.
A short distance away, police found and pulled over the red-pick up truck fitting the description occupied by four male and two female individuals.
Police said through the interview process, both men charged admitted they were members of the Latin King street gang and were driving though various areas to find members of the rival Spanish Gangster Disciple street gang.
Further investigation produced that while driving down Piper Lane, the men were representing the Latin Gang street gang to various individuals on the street when an unknown object broke the passenger side window of the truck they were in. Once the window was smashed, both offenders then grabbed golf clubs from the rear of the truck and began to beat the two victims until they were on the ground and then proceeded to kick them, according to police.
Both victims are in critical condition, one with a broken jaw, broken nose and broken left orbital socket and bruising on the brain. The second victim received large lacerations to the head neck and arm requiring several staples to close the wounds, police said.
Police added both victims are residents of Prospect Hts. and are not known to affiliate with any street gang.
The juvenile offenders in the vehicle were also charged. Two juveniles were held in custody and taken to a juvenile detention facility and two were released to their parents.
Bond for the 18-year-old was set at $90,000, while Vasquez's bond was set at $150,000. Both men are expected to appear back in a Rolling Meadows courtroom on Wednesday, June 3.
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