Westmont Cops Keep Fight Details Secret

WESTMONT, IL – Westmont police are releasing little information about a bar fight that led to the arrests of men from Burr Ridge and Willowbrook.

All the information in the police report from the witnesses and the suspects themselves has been blacked out.

This is in contrast to most police departments, which only redact the names and personal information of victims and witnesses. Such departments include Elmhurst, Darien, La Grange, Burr Ridge and Hinsdale.

Patch called Natalie Mozingo, the police department's Freedom of Information Act officer, who was responsible for the denial.

Mozingo said the Freedom of Information Act required her to make the redactions. And she said the information would always be blacked out, even after the men go to trial, unless the village receives a subpoena.

Patch plans to file a complaint with the attorney general's office about the redactions.

Earlier this week, Westmont released its weekly blotter. It listed Carlo Buonavolante, 35, of the 6700 block of Fieldstone Drive in Burr Ridge, and Jake Lenc, 24, of the 6000 block of Bentley Avenue in Willowbrook, as being charged with public fighting.

The blotter indicated the fight happened about 1:30 a.m. Saturday in the 10 block of North Cass Avenue in Westmont. The men were released on their own recognizance.

The police report released this week said the fight was at Pot Belly Pub, 24 N. Cass Ave.

It also said Buonavolante was intoxicated and slurring his words. He was said to be with his cousin.

Lenc was apparently identified by one witness as starting the fight.