Crime & Safety
Man Attacked, Choked Kids During Park Outing, Police Say
Patrick Dockery, who reportedly consumed alcohol and prescription meds, was incoherent at the time of his arrest, a sheriff's office spokeswoman said.
A Joliet man was arrested Thursday after he took four children, all under the age of 7, to a local park and then attacked and choked them, a Will County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman said.
A woman at Ridgewood Park called police at about 4:50 p.m. after being alerted to the situation by one of the children, who ran away from Patrick R. Dockery, 38, 1311 E. Cass St., and asked for helped, spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said.
The woman told officers she saw Dockery yelling at the children and choking two of them, Hoffmeyer said. When deputies arrived, they found Dockery on his knees, waving his arms and making "unintelligible sounds," she said.
Officers later learned Dockery had apparently had a couple of drinks, took prescription pain medication for his back and then decided to take his child and his girlfriend's other three children to the park, located at Jackson and Walnut streets, Hoffmeyer said.
Dockery was incoherent at the time of his arrest and was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox for medical treatment before being charged and booked into the Will County jail, she said. He faces three counts of aggravated domestic battery and one of resisting/obstructing a peace officer.
East Joliet Fire Department paramedics examined the children before allowing their mother to take them home, she said.
Dockery has an extensive criminal history, with dozens of arrests on charges that include armed robbery, burglary, criminal sexual assault, felon in possession of a weapon, domestic battery, criminal trespass to property and obstruction of justice, according to Will County Circuit Clerk records. He has had five orders of protection filed against him in Will County, records show.
Dockery is being held in Will County jail in lieu of $30,000 bond.
The woman told officers she saw Dockery yelling at the children and choking two of them, Hoffmeyer said. When deputies arrived, they found Dockery on his knees, waving his arms and making "unintelligible sounds," she said.
Officers later learned Dockery had apparently had a couple of drinks, took prescription pain medication for his back and then decided to take his child and his girlfriend's other three children to the park, located at Jackson and Walnut streets, Hoffmeyer said.
Dockery was incoherent at the time of his arrest and was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox for medical treatment before being charged and booked into the Will County jail, she said. He faces three counts of aggravated domestic battery and one of resisting/obstructing a peace officer.
East Joliet Fire Department paramedics examined the children before allowing their mother to take them home, she said.
Dockery has an extensive criminal history, with dozens of arrests on charges that include armed robbery, burglary, criminal sexual assault, felon in possession of a weapon, domestic battery, criminal trespass to property and obstruction of justice, according to Will County Circuit Clerk records. He has had five orders of protection filed against him in Will County, records show.
Dockery is being held in Will County jail in lieu of $30,000 bond.
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