A suspect appeared in court and remains in custody after a 70-year-old golfer was hit by a car during a chase on a Chicago golf course, where the suspect allegedly brandished a knife.
Tory L. Gardner, a 30-year-old from Cicero, faces two felony charges: Aggravated Battery to a Senior Citizen with Significant Bodily Harm, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon/Knife, as reported by the Forest Preserves of Cook County Police.
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Gardner appeared in court Thursday, where a judge denied him pre-trial release, Forest Preserves of Cook County Police said.
The chase happened around 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Billy Caldwell Golf Course in the Edgebrook neighborhood.
The older golfer is recuperating on Tuesday. The driver of the SUV involved was arrested, largely due to the efforts of a golf course worker.
“Two cars flying across the golf course, and they were flying. They weren’t going slow,” said Izzy Bolinski, who lives nearby.
A viewer sent ABC7 a video showing two vehicles, a black SUV and a silver sedan, driving down the fairway at the Billy Caldwell Golf Course.
“The silver sedan starts pursuing the SUV, who’s just intent on doing hot laps around the course,” said witness Ed Waters.
Waters was playing golf with his friend who took the vides of the scene. He described the driver of the black SUV as out-of-control angry and said the driver of the silver sedan was actually a golf course employee attempting to get the SUV to stop.
“He’s, like, honking at him, trying to pit maneuver the guy. Like, he’s, you know, they’re getting close on the fairway, just like not quite bumping, but getting close,” Waters said.
Nearby, Jim Wolfer had heard the commotion, and walked out of his house, which sits right next to the course.
“I come out, and I see this older gentleman laying right there in the grass, and two ladies attending, golfer ladies attending to him. So, I went out there, and he wasn’t moving. But when I got there, he opened up his eyes and he could speak,” Wolfer said.
Wolfer says the SUV was still driving all over after hitting the man near the fifth hole but was eventually cornered.
“The GM of the course chased him down to the other hole back there, where there’s no outlet, and so kind of pinned him in there, and then the cops came,” Wolfer said. “But he’s the hero. He chased the guy.”
Forest Preserves of Cook County Police arrested the driver. The 70-year-old victim was taken to St. Francis Hospital, where, at last check, he was in the intensive care unit.
A witness also told ABC7 once the driver of the black SUV was boxed in, he hopped out with what he described as a 3-inch blade.
Fortunately, no one else was hurt. At this point, there is no indication of a possible motive.
Gardner’s next court date is June 4.
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