Oak Park Man Charged With Hate Crime After Punching 13-Year-Old

Oak Park police reported this evening that they arrested and later charged a 48-year-old Oak Park man after he allegedly hit a 13-year-old boy from Cicero in the face and made comments about the boy's race.

Luisito B. Navarro, of the 1100 Block of south Gunderson, was charged with aggravated battery and a hate crime, both felonies, on Jan. 10.

The arrest stems from an incident police said occurred in an alley behind the 1100 block of south Gunderson at about 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 8.

The 13-year-old told police he was walking with a 12-year-old friend down an alley in the block as Navarro was getting into his car. The boys were kicking a cardboard box down the alley and Navarro was said to have told them to stop and made comments about boy's race, police said.

After getting in his car, Navarro reportedly drove slowly past the boys and continued commenting on the 13-year-old's race, including calling him a "dirty wetback punk," among other statements.

The boy said he threw a bag of sunflower seeds at Navarro through his open car window and then attempted to run away. According to police, Navarro got out of his car and chased the boy, who he caught, and then hit in the side of the face.

The two boys went to the 12-year-old's home in Oak Park and told the parents what had happened before they called police to file a report. 

Police knocked on doors in the area and determined that Navarro rented a parking space on the block. They made contact with Navarro and arrested him at his home around 11:15 a.m. Jan. 10. Navarro was later identified in a lineup and charged.

Navarro was held for a bond hearing, but police said they did not know if bond was issued. Navarro is due in court on Jan. 18 at Cook County's Maybrook Courthouse at 9 a.m.

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