Punched in Parking Lot: Police

JOLIET, IL — A confrontation in a strip mall parking lot escalated to the point that one man punched another in the forehead, police said.

A 26-year-old man reportedly told police he pulled into the parking lot of the strip mall on West Jefferson Street near Joyce Road Friday afternoon and a car parked next to his.

The driver of the second car, 51-year-old Lawrence Walker, started yelling, police said, and the younger man tried walking away.

Walker pointed his finger in the other man’s face and then punched him in the forehead, police said. The younger man reportedly suspected that Walker had something in his hand when he punched him.

The punch left a knot on the man's forehead, police said.

Walker got back into his car and drove to Wal-Mart, police said. The cops tracked him down there and he reportedly gave them the same story as the younger man, but claimed the other guy was the aggressor.

Surveillance video corroborated the 26-year-old’s story, police said.

Walker was arrested and later released on his own recognizance.