A jury this week convicted an Antioch man in the attack of a private investigator, who said he was punched more than 100 times and suffered severe injuries last year near Antioch.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said they responded to a disturbance in progress on the evening of January 20, 2021, at Nicklaus Way and Harbor Ridge Drive in unincorporated Antioch.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and found a victim, a 51-year-old Island Lake man, who had been severely beaten, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
The victim was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with multiple broken bones for treatment. He underwent multiple surgeries.
Covelli said the man, who was working as a private investigator, was in the area for a case he was investigating.
The victim was parked in his vehicle conducting surveillance and also had notified the sheriffโs office he would be in the area.
While conducting his investigation, the victim was approached by Russell S. Wright, 24, and Steven T. Wright, 64, both of the 24700 block of West Nicklaus Way in unincorporated Antioch.
Covelli said the two used a vehicle to block in the victimโs car so he could not leave the scene.
The Wrights then forced the victimโs car door open and slapped a video camera from his hands, Covelli said.
Russell Wright entered the car and allegedly began beating the victim and then Steven Wright also allegedly beat the victim.
The victim was able to dial 911 but one of the men took the victimโs cellphone and smashed it on the ground, Covelli said.
The 911 call still went through and 911 dispatchers were able to figure out there was a problem and dispatched sheriffโs deputies.
The sheriff’s office said at the time that there was no connection between the Wrights and the private investigator, and the investigator was not conducting surveillance on them.
Russell Wright and Steven Wright were both charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery in a public place and robbery.
Earlier this week, a jury trial began for Russell Wright.
The victim in the case testified he was punched over 100 times by the Wrights, who had confronted him about why he had been parked on their street, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The jury returned a guilty verdict for one of the aggravated battery counts and a not guilty finding for the second aggravated battery charge and the robbery charge, court records show.
A sentencing hearing for Russell Wright is scheduled for August 25.
A bench trial is tentatively scheduled for October 11 for Steven Wright.