Father, Teen Son Beat Romeoville Man to Death with Baseball Bats: Police

Photo: Mark Ballard. Credit: Romeoville Police Department

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A father and son are accused of beating a Romeoville man to death after he reportedly accused them of burglarizing his car several days earlier, police said.

Mark Ballard, 42, and Adam Ballard, 15, of 315 Healy Ave., attacked 55-year-old Richard Pollack with baseball bats, prosecutors allege. Both face charges of first-degree murder.

Romeoville Man’s Death a Homicide: Coroner

Will County Judge Edward Burmila set Mark Ballard’s bond at $5 million on Monday.

The younger Ballard, who is being charged as an adult, is currently being held at River Valley Justice Center on $1 million bond, according to officials. Adam Ballard is scheduled to appear in adult bond court Tuesday.

Police responded to reports of a disturbance involving suspects with baseball bats at Pollack’s home in the 400 block of Tallman at around 2 a.m. Sunday.

Cmdr. John Ferdinardo said the altercation involved at least nine individuals, some of whom were carrying baseball bats.

Police who arrived on the scene found Pollack, who was critically injured. He was taken to Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 3 a.m., the coroner’s office said.

Mark and Adam Ballard were taken into custody shortly after the incident.

Ferdinardo said the attack stemmed from accusations that Ballard and his son burglarized Pollack’s vehicle several days earlier. The burglary was never reported to police, Ferdinardo said.

According to Will County court records, a battery charge against Ballard was dropped in 2012. An unrelated burglary case from February 2014 is still pending.

Ferdinardo said none of the other individuals allegedly involved in the fight have been charged. The incident remains under investigation, he said.