A victim was left bleeding profusely after being punched in the face and stomped on during a home invasion in Waukegan, prosecutors said.
The Waukegan Police Department was called around 1:30 p.m. on October 12 to a residence for a report of a home invasion.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Theis said officers encountered a male victim outside bleeding profusely from his head. He also had injuries to his face.
Inside the man’s house, officers found blood splatter and blood pooling.
The victim reported he was at his home when the suspect, identified as John L. Hood, 46, of Waukegan, came into his house unannounced and viciously beat him, Theis said.
Officers noted that the victim had a shoe print on his face, a large laceration on the back of his head, a laceration on his lip, both cheeks were swollen and he had a crooked nose.
Theis said officers later located the suspect, identified as John L. Hood, 46, of Waukegan, and interviewed him.
Hood, a construction company owner, told officers that the victim previously worked for him but he fired the man.
The victim later sent threatening text messages to Hood, which led to him going to the victim’s home, Theis said.
The two men argued outside the home and the home invasion victim allegedly punched Hood and ran back inside, Theis said.
Hood admitted to chasing the other man into the residence and punching him but said he did not stomp on him.
Hood was charged with home invasion causing injury, a Class X felony.
Attorney Kevin Rosner, who is representing Hood, argued his client’s actions did not rise to the charge of home invasion and that the victim in the case struck Hood first.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted a petition to detain Hood in the Lake County Jail pending trial.
Hood is scheduled to appear in court again on November 14 for an arraignment hearing.