Boy, 9, Suffers Eye Injury, Joliet Man Hides In His Crawl Space: Cops

JOLIET, IL — A 35-year-old man who Joliet police say was hiding in the crawl space of his house in the 400 block of Pheasant Run Court was arrested over the weekend. Authorities say Macario Cruz injured a woman and a 9-year-old child, who tried to call 911.

Saturday night's incident prompted Joliet police to arrest Cruz on charges of aggravated battery, two counts of domestic battery, obstructing justice, interfering with the reporting of domestic violence and obstructing a police officer.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English:

Officers responded to Ascension St Joseph Medical Center for two domestic battery victims in the emergency room around 11:25 p.m. Police said Cruz attacked a woman and a 9-year-old boy at a residence in the 400 block of Pheasant Run Court.

According to officials, during an argument, Cruz had grabbed the arm of the woman. Upon observing this, the 9-year-old boy grabbed the phone and attempted to call police.

Cruz then took the phone from the child and struck him in the left eye with the phone, causing injury to the boy’s eye, police said. The woman drove the 9-year-old boy to Ascension St Joseph Medical Center for treatment.

During the early morning hours of Sept. 3, officers responded to the residence in the 400 block of Pheasant Run Court. Officers received consent to enter the home and found Cruz hiding in a crawl space in the home.

He was placed into custody without incident.

Will County Jail logs indicate Cruz walked out of the jail at 95 South Chicago Street around 12:10 p.m. Labor Day. No monetary bail was set in the case.