Facebook Post Claims Plainfield Bar Refused to Help Paramedics When Man Collapsed

PLAINFIELD, IL — A social media post is claiming that a Plainfield bar refused to cooperate with paramedics when one of its patrons had a medical emergency on the dance floor.

Andrew J. Hegeduis, 26, was at Nevin’s Brewing Company, located at 12337 South Rt. 59, the night of April 8 when he collapsed to the floor and died.

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According to his friend Jake Schraeger, who posted on Facebook about the incident, the bar refused to have the music stopped or the lights turned on.

“These paramedics had to shove their way through the crowd to get to my best friend and save his life,” Schraeger wrote

In an interview with Patch, Schraeger said he was not there that night, but had heard through other sources what had happened.

Messages sent to Schraeger that were shared with Patch give a view of what happened inside the business.

“There were people asking why the music continued to play and why the lights (weren't) on,” wrote one person to Schraeger. “It was too dark for anyone to see or help appropriately.”

Another message claimed a friend was the only one to step in and try to save him.

“He was asking everyone who was standing around him what he had taken or how many drinks he might have had,” the message said. “We tried to get them to get the band to stop and I tried to make sure people didn’t just step on him."

Plainfield Fire Chief Dave Riddle said paramedics didn’t seem to have a delay when responding to the incident.

“It was crowded, just like any event of that nature,” Riddle said. “From the reports I received verbally from my crew, the security at Nevin’s helped provide a pathway for entry and exit and I didn’t hear anything beyond that.”

Riddle said it was loud in there and is unaware if Nevin’s was asked to turn the music off and the lights on. He also confirmed that there was no report of anyone at Nevin’s actively refusing to assist.

A manager at Nevin's said she was unable to comment on the matter, but a post on the business’s Facebook page expressed condolences for the man’s family and friends.

“We extend a special thank you to the paramedics, police department, our managers, staff and all those who assisted their efforts that evening,” the post said. “We are truly saddened by the unfortunate events and our thoughts go out to all those affected.”

Hegeduis grew up in the Manhattan area and was a graduate of Lincoln-Way Central High School, according to his obituary. Following high school, he went into carpentry and was a member of the Carpenters Local Union No. 174.

He loved fishing, camping, boating, shooting, Ford trucks, dirt bikes and being outdoors.