Man Charged With Misdemeanor For Beating Loop's 'Walking Man' With Bat
By Mae Rice in News on May 26, 2016 2:43PM
Misdemeanor charges have been filed against a man accused of beating a well-known Loop character, "The Walking Man," with a bat on Tuesday. Perry McCarlton II, 41, was charged with one misdemeanor count of reckless conduct and bodily harm for the assault, police said. "The Walking Man," who the Tribune reports is legally named Joseph Kromelis, declined to pursue felony charges, according to police—though the attack certainly seemed to merit them.
The attack occurred Tuesday morning around 11 a.m., and began when Kromelis said "Hi" to McCarlton in passing on Lower Wacker Drive, police said. McCarlton then allegedly began punching Kromelis and beating him with a bat. At one point, a witness told police that McCarlton tried to throw Kromelis over a railing blocking off a 20-foot drop, the Tribune reported.
Kromelis was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital after the incident in serious condition, with severe cuts around his eyes, among other injuries. Since then, A GoFundMe (whose legitimacy we have not been able to verify) has raised more than $12,000 for Kromelis's medical expenses. Its founder, listed as Vytas Vaitkus, says he is Kromelis's nephew. He writes on the GoFundMe page that Kromelis "had his eyes almost gouged out" during the attack. "It is not sure if he will regain use of his eyes."