‘I'm sorry, man. I'm just drunk': Portage man allegedly drives wrong way in Lake Station parade, clipping fire chief and nearly hitting toddler
Richard Yakel, 56, is charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon, resisting law enforcement and four misdemeanors.
He is in custody, ordered to be held without bail until July 22, when it will be reset to $7,500 cash surety. He was appointed a public defender Monday, records show.
Charging documents allege he came 'extremely close' to hitting several groups of people, clipped Lake Station Fire Chief Chuck Fazekas with his vehicle's mirror and came two feet from hitting a two-year-old girl collecting candy in the grass.
Fazekas said Monday he had never seen anything like that at the parade.
A gunman killed seven people and wounded more than 30 at the Highland Park, Illinois, July 4th parade in 2022.
'Is this guy going to try (to run people over)?' he said. 'We've had quite a few of these (across the country).'
Lake Station hasn't 'had any formal discussions yet' on what they may learn from the incident, he said. Fazekas urged residents to 'just be alert,' 'yell,' 'warn others and get out of the way,' and 'get to a safe space.'
'We're (lucky) that it didn't come to anything like that,' he said.
When Yakel left, he clipped Fazekas in the left ribs and back. By Monday, he was 'doing ok.'
Lake Station Mayor Bill Carroll couldn't be immediately reached Monday.
After his arrest, Yakel asked in a squad car about his charges.
'I'm not worried about that. That'll just get dismissed,' he replied.
Records show Yakel was on bond for a 2018 domestic battery case.
New Chicago Det. Bradley Rivera wrote he was cruising in the parade around 5:30 p.m. July 3 when an 'older' model red Ford Expedition was driving the opposite way, even though Central Avenue was blocked off and the parade was still going on.
Several people were trying to flag him down.
Rivera made a U-turn, but Yakel didn't pull over for 6-9 blocks, according to the affidavit. When the vehicle slowed for a group of kids, Rivera boxed him in.
He yelled for Yakel to put the SUV in park. Yakel responded after Rivera drew his gun. He refused to get out of the vehicle. Rivera pulled him out, then forced him to sit down. Yakel had bloodshot, watery eyes. He claimed he drank six beers.
A woman told officers that he nearly hit a 2-year-old girl.
'I'm sorry man, I'm just drunk,' Yakel told police.
He failed several field sobriety tests at the jail — including the one-leg stand. Lake Station Ofr. C. Boney got a warrant for a blood draw.
His blood alcohol content came back at 0.355% — more than four times the legal limit.
Yakel told police he was watching the parade near Central Avenue and Grand Boulevard when he decided to leave, knowing the parade was still going on. He claimed he only went a 'few' blocks before he pulled over for police.
He then claimed he only had two 'tall' beers.
Fazekas told police that he was near Hamilton and Lake when he overheard the passenger tell Yakel to speed off.
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