Anthony's Parking Lot Arrest After Joliet Man Wears Body Armor: JPD

JOLIET, IL — An angry and confrontational 29-year-old Joliet man who was wearing his ballistic body armor on Sunday night was later arrested by Joliet police officers after he drove to the Anthony's Pub on Voyager Lane, according to Joliet police officers.

Mario Mendez-Rocha was captured and later released on an I-Bond on charges of aggravated assault and unlawful use of body armor.

Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English said Sunday's incident began around 11:15 p.m. at one of the apartment units in the 0 to 100 block of Hunter Avenue, on the city's near west side.

According to English:

• Officers received a gun complaint on Hunter Avenue and that's what prompted the police response.
• Police said Mendez-Rocha arrived at the apartment and knocked at the door while wearing what appeared to be ballistic body armor with a holstered handgun attached to the front of the vest.
• According to police, Mendez-Rocha asked for a woman at the apartment and when he told she was not there, Mendez-Rocha grabbed the firearm’s handle and verbally threatened the man who answered the door at the apartment.
• Then, police said, Mendez-Rocha drove off in a vehicle; Mendez-Rocha was involved in a relationship with the woman who lived at the apartment.
• A short time later, officers spotted Mendez-Rocha in his vehicle in the parking lot of Anthony’s Restaurant and Bar and he was placed into custody without incident.
• Officers recovered a ballistic vest and BB gun from Mendez-Rocha’s vehicle.