Crime & Safety

Local Man Faces Hate Crime, Battery Charges

A 47-year-old Tinley Park man is accused of spewing racial slurs, throwing a beer can and a brick at a black man who was working near his home over the weekend. He also choked him, according to police.

A 47-year-old local man appeared in court Tuesday morning after reportedly yelling racial slurs at an outdoor worker over the holiday weekend, according to reports. 

Bail for Joseph Berndt, of the 17900 block of South Highland Avenue in , was set at $25,000 Tuesday. Prosecutors say a 51-year-old victim, who was a black man, was working in the 6200 block of West 179th Street Sunday afternoon when Berndt showed up and verbally accosted him, according to a Tinley Park Police news release. He also accused the victim of stealing from a neighboring foreclosed property, a Sun-Times Media story states.

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"When the victim tried to explain he had been hired to work at the home, Berndt allegedly threw a beer can and a brick at the man," the Sun-Times story reports. "The worker tried to flee. According to prosecutors, Berndt chased after the man while swinging a metal pipe."

Berndt is accused of upon catching up to the victim, choking and threatening him, reports ABC 7 News. Berndt was charged with one felony count each of aggravated assault, battery and committing a hate crime.

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