Man Pointed Gun At Co-Workers, Damaged Car With Bat: Buffalo Grove Police

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — A North Chicago man faces charges after pointing a handgun at two co-workers, battering one of them and damaging a vehicle with a baseball bat outside a Buffalo Grove business Friday evening, police said.

Javier Castillo-Pedraza, 28, was taken into custody a short time later by North Chicago officers, who recovered the handgun and baseball bat believed to have been used during the incident, according to the Buffalo Grove Police Department.

Officers responded to a disturbance around 7:45 p.m. Oct. 2, in the Connexion parking lot, 1700 Leider Lane. They determined several co-workers had remained at the business after their shift when an argument escalated.

Castillo-Pedraza left before officers arrived. North Chicago police subsequently located him and took him into custody without further incident.

Responding officers observed no apparent injuries to either victim.

Castillo-Pedraza also voluntarily surrendered four additional firearms, which were inventoried and secured for safekeeping, authorities reported.

With approval from the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, he was charged with:

• One count of criminal damage to property, a Class 4 felony.
• Two counts of aggravated assault, Class A misdemeanors.
• One count of battery, a Class A misdemeanor.

Police said Castillo-Pedraza remained in custody pending his initial court appearance. His next court date is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 28, in Room 020 at the Lake County Courthouse, 18 N. County St., Waukegan.

Buffalo Grove police credited the North Chicago Police Department with helping quickly locate Castillo-Pedraza and safely resolve the incident.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.