Dog Bites Rockdale Deputy Chief, Officer On Moen Ave: Prosecutors

ROCKDALE — A 21-year-old Rockdale citizen, Jo Montejano-Rodriguez, is being detained in Will County Jail's in connection with a recent violent encounter at his apartment unit in the 900 block of Moen Avenue. The defendant is accused of ordering his dog to attack his domestic violence victim and later scuffling with Rockdale police, before tripping, falling down his stairs and becoming unconscious briefly, court files show.

Montejano has been kept in the county jail under the Illinois SAFE-T-Act since his arrest on Feb. 25. He's charged with two counts of aggravated battery, one count of aggravated domestic battery, two counts of domestic battery, two counts of resisting a peace officer and one count of endangering the life or health of a child.

According to the prosecution's successful petition to deny pretrial release for Montejano, at 10:16 a.m. Feb. 25, Rockdale officers and Deputy Police Chief Robert Baikie were sent to a reported domestic disturbance on Moen Avenue at one of the apartments. A pregnant woman told 911 dispatchers that Montejano hit her, and she was bitten by his dog, court documents note.

The victim broke free from Montejano's grip, and he pushed her in the chest and stomach and ordered his dog to attack her, court files show. The dog bit her and broke the skin on the right calf before she ran out of the apartment to her vehicle and called 911.

The court files say the Rockdale "officers went up the stairs, at which time deputy chief Baikie grabbed the defendant's left arm and advised he as under the arrest ... the defendant kicked Deputy Chief Baikie and Officer Brandon Victor several times attempting to break free."

Several of the defendant's female relatives were inside the apartment, including his mother, and they yelled and screamed at the Rockdale police, the court files note.

At one point, "a dog exited the apartment and bit both Deputy Chief Baikie and Officer Brandon Victor on the legs but did not break the skin," prosecutors outlined.

Several officers tried to take Montejano down the steep flight of stairs, but "the defendant continued to fight officers going down the stairs and at which time the defendant missed a step and fell to the bottom, becoming unconscious," court records note. "Officers immediately tended to the defendant, who regained consciousness after a few seconds."

As the officers escorted their new prisoner back to the squad car, "the defendant refused to walk and just dropped to the ground. The defendant then looked at Deputy Chief Baikie and stated he knows where Deputy Chief Baikie lives and hangs out in Plainfield. The defendant stated that 'deputy chief Baikie will get his, don't worry.' Then the defendant shouted to his mother not to worry, because he knows where Deputy Chief Baikie hangs out," prosecutors told the judge.