Northbrook Man Injured Fending Off Home Invasion: Prosecutors

NORTHBROOK, IL — A Northfield Township man who managed to fend off a home invasion last weekend suffered a broken finger and required staples to his scalp, authorities said.

Nicholas Belmont, 35, of Deerfield, has been charged with home invasion and aggravated battery in connection with the attack. At an initial court appearance Tuesday in Skokie, a judge ordered him detained Cook County Jail unless he comes up with the $30,000 cash portion of his bond.

According to authorities, a 58-year-old Walnut Circle resident heard a noise coming from the back door and exited his bedroom to find Belmont inside his hallway shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday.

"A brief struggled ensued between the victim and [Belmont] as the victim attempted to remove [Belmont] from his home," Assistant State's Attorney Jenna Reinhardt said Tuesday at Belmont's initial court appearance in Skokie.

The resident than ran to the front door and tried to call 911, but Belmont grabbed him from behind and prevented him from leaving, Reinhardt said.

Managing to make some space for himself after grabbing a baseball bat, the resident managed to run out of back door, according to the prosecutor, but Belmont attacked him again outside.

"While on the back porch, [Belmont] struck [the resident] on the back of the head with a glass bottle," Reinhardt said.

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The prosecutor said the intruder managed to run away, leaving behind a bandana and a shoe.

Officers found Belmont two blocks from the man's house with one shoe, a matching bandana and blood on his body, Reinhardt said.

The resident also identified him as the man who attacked him, according to the prosecutor, who said the men did not know each other before Saturday morning's encounter.

According to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, dispatchers received a 911 hang-up call around 4:50 a.m., When they called the number back and were unable to reach anyone, they sent sheriff's police to the area.

"Sheriff’s Police dispatch also notified Northbrook Police about the hang up call," according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

Reinhardt said the resident was taken to an area hospital, had his head stapled shut and received treatment for a broken finger.

Greg Kobus, the Cook County assistant public defender who represented Belmont at his initial hearing, said Belmont is the father of a 9-year-old and used to work at a restaurant that has since closed.

Cook County Associate Judge Anthony Calabrese said he was "a bit baffled" by the nature of the allegations, which he described by "egregious."

"No idea what the complaining witness must have thought was about to happen as he defended himself and his home from the defendant, allegedly," Calabrese said.

Belmont is due back in court Aug. 8 for a bond review hearing.

Updated with additional information from the Cook County Sheriff's Office