Night of the Living Spares

By Matt Wood in News on Dec 4, 2006 1:33PM

Chicagoist loves stories of mischief and mayhem, bizarre crimes and the like, but they tend to follow a script. For instance, when a 32-year-old man punches a 63-year-old man walking with a cane, it's usually the younger fellow who gets in trouble. But most of the time the older gentleman hasn't just slashed 18 sets of tires with a pocketknife.

The knife-wielding senior in question, Robert Evans of Niles, was upset at being out of work and decided to take his frustrations out on people with money, or at least cars. CBS 2 reports that he went on a three-day tire-slashing spree starting last Sunday, hitting a Jewel-Osco, apartment buildings in his neighborhood, and even a funeral home. On Tuesday, 18 sets of flat tires later, Evans' reign of terror ended when he was caught in the act by the younger man, who punched him twice in the face after he refused to drop his knife. Evans is now facing 18 counts of criminal damage to property, plus aggravated assault, battery, and unlawful use of a weapon.