Machete Wielding 77-Year-Old Joliet Man Reveals His Motive For Striking Victim's Car In The Dark: Police

JOLIET, IL — For the first time this month, the Joliet Police Department has made a felony arrest involving someone using a machete as their preferred weapon to inflict damage.

Joliet police spokesman Tizoc Landeros announced that 77-year-old Joliet resident Chester T. Kowalski was arrested earlier this week on charges of aggravated assault and criminal damage to property.

The incident happened Monday night.

At approximately 7 p.m., Joliet officers were dispatched to the 2800 block of Clearview Drive for a report of someone striking vehicles with a machete. At the scene, the officers met with a 24-year-old victim from Joliet, and he reported that Kowalski approached his vehicle holding a machete and struck the vehicle while he was seated inside.

A witness at the scene confirmed observing the incident, Landeros said.

Officers later located Kowalski at his residence. Kowalski told officers that he was upset because the vehicle’s headlights were shining into his residence, Landeros pointed out.

The machete used in the incident was recovered and placed into evidence, the arrest report showed.

As for Kowalski, he was taken into custody at the Joliet Police Department. He was later booked and released on a notice to appear at the Will County Courthouse without further incident.

The 77-year-old Joliet criminal defendant comes from the 2800 block of Bloomfield Drive, his arrest logs show.