The West Ridge man who was Tased by police officers at the John Barleycorn in Lakeview early Sunday morning while celebrating St. Patrick’s Day has been charged with two felonies: resisting arrest and aggravated battery to a peace officer.
John Acosta, 21, of the 6200 block of North Maplewood Avenue, was at the North Clark Street bar around 1 a.m. on March 16 when he attempted to stop a police officer from arresting another man on battery charges, according to the police report.
The police officer, who was part of a St. Patrick’s Day Clark Street detail, pushed Acosta back and ordered him to stay back, according to the police report, but Acosta continued to charge at him and try to pull away the other man. He also punched the officer in the arm and body several times, according to the police report.
The first police officer was unable to put Acosta into custody on his own, the report said, and several officers attempted to restrain him before the group fell into the John Barleycorn doorway and into the bar.
Once inside the bar an officer used his Taser on Acosta, yelling “Taser, Taser, Taser,” to warn others, the report said. Acosta was taken to Thorek Hospital to remove Taser probes and treat a bloody nose, the report said.
Acosta was brought to the Cook County Criminal Courthouse on Monday afternoon and released on a $30,000 I-bond with electronic home monitoring required.
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