Roark Strikes 2 Including St. Joe's Nurse: Complaint

JOLIET, IL — Most people may not realize this, but there are usually several arrests every month at the AMITA Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. Joliet Police are called here routinely for incidents of assault and violent behavior toward the hospital staff. This week, Joliet Police officers arrested 25-year-old Niko James Roark of Joliet on two felony charges of aggravated battery.

The criminal complaint indicates that Roark on Monday, Aug. 26, "knowingly and without justification made physical contact ... (with a female nurse) knowing (her) to be a nurse, employed by St. Joseph Medical Center, in that he struck (her) about the body while (she) was in the performance of her duties as a nurse."

The second charge of aggravated battery states that Roark struck a man "about the body" who was at the St. Joe's Hospital on Aug. 25.

Will County Jail logs show Roark posted 10 percent of his $20,000 bail and got released from the detention facility on the night of Aug. 26.

Roark was jailed on three separate occasions in 2018, including one arrest by the Will County Sheriff's Office that led to his incarceration for more than a month, on charges of aggravated battery and domestic battery, jail record indicate.

The defendant lives in the 2400 block of Joliet's Regan Road, jail logs show.