Dollar General Handicap Parking Stall Leads To Fight: JPD

JOLIET, IL - The Dollar General store on West Jefferson Street is known as a great place to do your bargain shopping, but on Wednesday night Joliet Police officers were busy hauling away 57-year-old Joliet resident Wayne Orkwiszewski on charges of battery, assault and disorderly conduct. The defendant picked a fight with someone who went into the store after parking in one of the handicap spots, police reports show.

Joliet Police were called to the Dollar General at 916 W. Jefferson St. around 6:50 p.m. in reference to a fight.

"Orkwiszewski went into the store and starting yelling at the victim who was parked in the handicap space. At one point Orkwiszewski placed his hands in the victims face while yelling," police reports indicate.

Eventually, the confrontation moved outside.

In the parking lot, a juvenile tried to be a peacemaker, but "Orkwiszewski struck (the) juvenile who attempted to intervene. The victim then sprayed Orkwiszewski with mace to protect the juvenile," police reports show.

Orkwiszewski went to his car and turned on the ignition, thinking he could get away before the Joliet Police cars arrived, but he was wrong, reports show.

"Orkwiszewski was about to drive away when officers arrived on scene. Orkwiszewski was arrested for the above listed offenses," police said.

The defendant was later released from the Joliet Police Station on an I-bond.

UPDATE: On Friday night, Wayne Orkwiszewski saw the Joliet Patch article about his arrest and he began to dialogue with several Joliet Patch readers on social media. Here's a summary of some of his key statements regarding the incident at Dollar General that led to his arrest:

"Here's the story I asked (whose) car was in the handicap spot. A black lady said it was hers (I) asked her to move it. I was cussed called a (expletive) white cracker. And told I wasn't disabled. I am. And the card hangs in the truck.

"After she moved it, her mouth started again … Went back in the store to make purchases and she kept it up. I then opened my mouth with the same disrespect I was shown. The other customers got into it … "

Orkwiszewski claimed he never hit the juvenile, maintaining that "the juvenile kept getting out of the car running in my face and thumping me with his body. He did not get hit, he got pushed back that's when a person not involved punched me in the head with keys cutting the (expletive) out of me."

The Joliet man who faces two criminal charges informed Joliet Patch's Facebook followers that he intends to put forth a vigorous criminal defense in the days ahead.

"I crossed no line. I protected myself and as per usual seven black folk against one white man. Well I'm automatically wrong," Orkwiszewski informed Joliet Patch readers on Facebook.