Toilet Papered House Prompts Man To Use Baseball Bat On Teens' Vehicle: JPD

JOLIET, IL — A 41-year-old Joliet man is charged with criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct following a toilet papering incident in his subdivision in the 1000 block of Sable Ridge Road. George Espinoza is accused of going after a group of juveniles and attacking their vehicle with a baseball bat, causing significant damage.

Just before 11 p.m. Oct. 2, Joliet officers responded to the 1000 block of Sable Ridge Drive for a report of criminal damage to property. They learned that several juveniles had earlier participated in a prank involving toilet papering George Espinoza’s residence in the 8400 block of Trumbull Avenue, according to police.

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During the toilet paper incident, police say Espinoza and his juvenile son confronted the group and yelled at them, prompting the teens to leave the area in a vehicle. Espinoza and his son followed the teens in a separate vehicle through the neighborhood, according to police.

After the teens parked their vehicle in a driveway of a home in the 1000 block of Sable Ridge, Espinoza got out of his vehicle and began yelling at the teens while hitting the windows as they were still in the vehicle, Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English said.

Police say Espinoza then retrieved a baseball bat from his vehicle and struck their car several times, breaking a taillight and denting the rear fender before leaving the area, the arrest report showed.

Espinoza was found at his residence and was placed into custody without incident. He was processed and released on a notice to appear in Will County's Courthouse.