Update February 12, 2021: Deandre Ross pleaded guilty to robbery in exchange for a four-year sentence. Prosecutors dropped attempted kidnapping and unlawful restraint charges in the plea deal. Judge Ursula Walowski oversaw the case.
A man who’s accused of stabbing another man in the back in River North last month recently served time for slashing a security guard at the Chicago Greyhound station. Brian Mallett, 36, is being held without bail.
Police said Mallett and a 37-year-old man became engaged in an argument near the Hubbard Street nightlife district around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 9. Mallett allegedly pulled out a knife, chased after the victim, and stabbed the other man who was trying to get away.
The victim received a single stab wound to his lower back on the first block of East Illinois Street, police said. Police took Mallett into custody nearby.
Prosecutors charged Mallett with felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and Judge Mary Marubio ordered him held without bail.
Court records show that Mallett received a 14-month prison term for slashing a DuPage County sheriff who was working as a security guard at the Greyhound terminal on Jan. 9, 2018.
A Greyhound employee and the off-duty deputy, who was wearing clothes that had the word “POLICE” written on each arm, escorted Mallett from the property. He soon returned to the terminal, slashed at the 47-year-old deputy with a knife, and then struck him with the butt of the weapon, according to a police report.
Judge Vincent Gaughan sentenced Mallett to 14 months in prison last March after Mallet pleaded guilty to felony aggravated battery of a police officer. Mallet was paroled five months later.
Truckin’
A Valparaiso, Indiana, man is a facing felony gun charge after he allegedly threatened another driver during a road rage incident in the West Loop.
Police said a male motorist reported being cut off by 59-year-old George Novak as the two drove on the Kennedy Expressway on the afternoon of Aug. 28. Both drivers exited at Lake Street and the alleged victim got out to confront Novak.
“What’s your problem?” the man asked. “You cut me off.”
At that point, Novak allegedly pointed a silver revolver at him and said, “If I were you, I’d get back in your f-cking car.”
The other driver did exactly that before calling in a description of Novak’s vehicle to police: a maroon pick-up truck with a lift kit and a Confederate flag on the back. Police said they found the truck nearby and pulled Novak over.
Officers reportedly saw the handle of a gun sticking out of Novak’s waistband as they spoke with him. They said he admitted to being involved in a traffic altercation, but he said he only displayed the handle of the gun during the confrontation. Police found a metal tin in Novak’s truck that contained over 100 rounds of ammunition, but the gun itself was not loaded.
Novak is charged with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, misdemeanor possession of ammunition without a valid Firearm Owner ID card, and misdemeanor aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Judge Mary Marubio set bail at $5,000. Novak posted a $500 deposit bond and went home to await trial.
Firemen to the rescue
Firemen helped police track down the man who allegedly robbed a West Loop dry cleaner last month, according to court records.
Police say Deandre Ross, 47, entered the Capitol Hill Cleaners at 305 South Desplaines around 5 p.m. on Sept. 14. He grabbed the arm of a woman who works there, then took her phone and the cash register while implying that he had a gun, according to police.
The victim, 39, ran from the store screaming for help, which attracted the attention of firemen stationed across the street. Two on-duty firemen took after Ross who allegedly carried the cash register to the top of a nearby parking garage, where police later found it.
Arriving officers spoke with the firemen who provided a description of Ross and pointed the cops in his direction. Police arrested Ross a few minutes later as he rode a CTA bus along Roosevelt Road.
The firemen and the victim identified him, police said.
Prosecutors charged Ross with felony aggravated robbery by indicating the presence of a firearm. Judge Arthur Willis set bail at $25,000. Ross has not been able to post the $2,500 deposit bond required to go free.