Girls Fight In Downtown Joliet Alley, Officer Attacked: Cops

JOLIET, IL — A pair of teenagers from DuPage County were the first felony arrests of 2024 at the Joliet Police Department. Joliet police announced that Chanel Vervynck, 18, of West Chicago, was arrested and released on a notice to appear in court on charges of aggravated battery to a peace officer. Vervynck's friend, Bryanna Trujillo, 19, of West Chicago, was also arrested and released on a notice to appear in court on charges of obstructing a peace officer.

The incident happened in the alley of 22 W. Cass St., which is the location of The Forge.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, at 1:31 a.m. on New Year's Day, officers near the alley of 22 West Cass Street saw two females fighting with another female, punching the victim and pulling her hair.

Officers intervened in the fight and identified the aggressors as Vervynck and Trujillo. Trujillo refused to leave and kept attempting to fight the victim while Joliet police were trying to break up the scuffle, English said.

Trujillo attempted to run back to the area where the fight happened, and that's when an officer took her to the ground and attempted to place her into custody, according to police.

As the officer was attempting to handcuff Trujillo, English said Vervynck jumped on the officer and subsequently kicked the officer in the chest.

Both Vervynck and Trujillo were placed into custody without further incident, English noted.