Road Rage Riot Ends in Arrest of County Board Member's Son, 2 Others

A carload of men—including the son of Will County Board member Steve Wilhelmi—menaced the occupants of another vehicle, chasing them around the west side and ultimately whipping one with a belt before a bystander blocked them in and the cops showed up, said.

The three men—23-year-old Manuel Borrego of 319 Hunter Ave., Daniel Duffy, 22, of 479 Mason Ave., and 21-year-old Alex Wilhelmi of 1108 Taylor St.—were captured near the corner of Kenilworth and Dellmar avenues about 10:30 p.m. Sunday and taken to the .

Alex Wilhelmi is the son of Steve Wilhelmi.

Borrego was behind the wheel of a Pontiac and cut off a Saturn carrying four young men, police said. Words were exchanged and someone in Borrego's car threw a 44-ounce cup of soda through the open window of the Saturn.

Borrego then started chasing the Saturn through town before pulling in front of it and braking on Kenilworth at Dellmar, police said. The Saturn rear-ended the Pontiac and then fled by speeding off in reverse.

But one of the passengers in the Saturn had gotten out to confront his pursuers and was left behind by his buddies, police said. Unfortunately for him, he was beset by Borrego, Duffy and Wilhelmi.

Wilhelmi pulled off his belt and whipped the man's back while the other two punched and kicked him, police said. While this was going on, a neighbor reportedly drove into the fray and blocked Borrego's car with his own.

Borrego and Duffy then turned their attention to the neighbor, police said. Borrego reportedly reached into the neighbor's car and broke off the key in the ignition while Duffy pulled so hard on the car's door that it bent.

But Borrego's alleged disabling of the car that was blocking in his own proved to be the latest in a series of poor decisions, as the police arrived to arrest him and his two friends.

The man who was beaten and whipped with Wilhelmi's belt emerged from the ordeal without having to go to a hospital, police said.

Borrego was subjected to a breathalizer test and unsurprisingly blew over the legal limit, police said. He was charged with driving under the influence, mob action, criminal damage to property, battery and reckless driving.

Duffy and Wilhelmi also were charged with mob action and battery, and Duffy caught a case for criminal damage to property.