CHICAGO — A woman accused of pepper-spraying four Chicago cops during Mexican Independence Day festivities in the Loop became the first person in the city to have a new felony criminal case handled under the state’s new no-cash-bail law.
Esmeralda Aguilar, 24, of Cicero, was released from custody after appearing before Judge Mary Marubio at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on Monday afternoon. Prosecutors did not ask Marubio to hold Aguilar in the county jail.
Aguilar intentionally discharged pepper spray toward a group of Chicago cops in the 200 block of North Wabash around 2:38 a.m. Sunday, according to her CPD arrest report. The incident was captured on police body cameras and resulted in two officers being treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to the report.
She is charged with four counts of aggravated battery of a peace officer.
The exact number of people arrested during the weekend’s Mexican Independence celebration won’t be known for a few days. But, including Aguilar, CWBChicago has identified 12 people charged with felonies after being arrested during the festivities.