Bail Set at $985,000 for Accused Blue Line Slasher

Cesar Williams, 48, of the 9000 block of South Ashland Avenue, Chicago. | Chicago Police Department

Police said a South Side man charged with slashing a 24-year-old woman’s face on the Blue Line platform accused her earlier of stealing his cell phone.

Cesar Williams, 48, of the 9000 block of South Ashland Avenue, was charged with armed robbery with a dangerous weapon and aggravated battery with use of a dangerous weapon.

According to Cook County prosecutors, Williams approached the woman around 4 a.m. Friday as she walked to Clark and Lake train station, when he accused her of taking his cell phone when he was sleeping.

After the woman showed him her phone as proof she hadn’t taken his, Williams flagged down police who suggested he file a police report, NBC 5 Chicago reported.

Police said that Williams had apparently followed the woman to the el platform in the 200 block of North LaSalle. There, William lunged at the woman with a knife, cutting her on the side of her face from her left ear to her mouth.

The woman was taken to an area hospital where she was treated for a laceration to the face. She tossed her phone toward Williams, who grabbed it and fled the scene, Chicago Police News Affairs said.

A Good Samaritan called 911 and guided police to Williams location, who recovered the woman’s phone along with a three-inch pocket knife, police said.

During his bond hearing Sunday at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building, bail was set at $985,000.