CHICAGO — A man was permanently blinded in one eye during a brutal bar fight outside a West Loop bar last December — and now the man accused of delivering the blow is out on electronic monitoring, according to court documents.
Julio De La Cruz, a 29-year-old River North nightclub employee, has been charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm after prosecutors say he kicked a man directly in the eye during a chaotic brawl outside PB&J, a bar located at 205 North Peoria, on December 15, 2024.
Night Out Turns Violent After Game Night
The 25-year-old victim, who lives in Elgin, had gone to the bar with a friend around 8:30 p.m. after attending a hockey game. They reportedly kept to themselves until a fight broke out among other bar patrons. One of the brawlers punched the victim’s friend, pulling him into the altercation.
Bouncers quickly ejected everyone involved — including the victim and his friend.
Outside, the friend was assaulted again by one of the same people, and as a crowd gathered, the victim found himself separated — and allegedly confronted by De La Cruz, who asked him if he “wanted to fight.”
Blinding Assault Captured on Surveillance
The victim raised his hands in a defensive gesture to indicate he wasn’t interested in fighting. But prosecutors say De La Cruz charged at him, pinning him against a fence.
After a brief grapple with no punches landed, De La Cruz allegedly gained some distance and delivered a devastating kick to the victim’s eye. The impact caused the victim to feel a “pop” and blood rushing down his face, according to the state’s detention petition.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the entire scene, including the moment of impact.
Despite his severe injuries, the victim was able to call 911. While he waited for emergency help, De La Cruz allegedly returned briefly to yell at him but quickly left when he realized how badly the victim was hurt.
Permanent Injuries and Missed Opportunity for Justice?
Surgeons tried to save the victim’s eye, but ultimately he was left permanently blind in his left eye. He also suffered a fractured orbital socket, globe rupture, and a broken nose.
Police released surveillance images of the attacker in January and appealed to the public for help. Eventually, detectives identified De La Cruz with help from individuals within the city’s bar industry, court documents revealed.
Despite the severity of the injuries, Judge Luciano Panici Jr. declined the prosecution’s request to detain De La Cruz, opting instead to place him on electronic monitoring while awaiting trial.
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