Battery, Criminal Damage to Property and Reckless Driving – NOT GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES AFTER TRIAL

My client was arrested for numerous charges stemming from a “road rage” incident. The victim in the case alleged that my client was tailgating him and kept honking because he was driving too slowly. When the victim stopped a red light, my client rammed into the rear of his vehicle. The victim pulled his car over to see the damage to his bumper. When the victim walked back to see the damage, my client threatened to beat him up. The victim then went back into his vehicle to leave the scene. When the victim got back into his vehicle, my client rammed his car again and was actually pushing the victims car with his own. The victim indicated that my client pushed his minivan at least 6 inches! The victim then stated that he drove away to get away from my client. My client followed him and when the victim got caught at the next stop light, my client drove close to the passenger side and grabbed the arm of the victims passenger. He pulled her arm through the open windows and when she pulled away, he threw a drink at her face. When the victim and his passenger drove away again, my client threw a glass bottle through their rear window and shattered it. The victim called 911 and followed my client until the Oak Park Police stopped him. My client had a prior battery charge and criminal damage to property charge on his record so they prosecutor was not offering any fair deal. After consulting with my client, we decided it would be in his best interest to take our chances at trial. At trial, the victim, his passenger and the arresting officer testified for the prosecution. On cross examination I showed that the witnesses’ testimony was different on at least 10 different occasions. I made them each contradict one another’s testimony. After a very long trial, the judge found my client not guilty on every single charge he was facing!