COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A man who was punched in the face and mugged by a group of young men near the Magnificent Mile escaped by diving into the back of a cab whose driver came to his rescue.
The man lost five $100 bills and his phone, but escaped with just a minor injury thanks to the timely taxi early Sunday.
"I wasn't seriously hurt; I just had my lip busted," said the man, who asked not to be identified. "I know these things can happen to anyone, but it did change the way I look at Chicago. I'll pay closer attention, be more on guard."
The 45-year-old man from South Chicago was walking by the CTA Red Line station and the McDonald's at 10 E. Chicago Ave. when one of the muggers walked up to him and said, "What's going on?" prosecutors said.
The South Chicago man turned ... only to be socked in the face, prosecutors said. Before he could recover, a group of other young men pounced on him.
A passing cabbie, however, saw the beating and stopped. The victim broke free and made a break for the cab, jumping into its back seat.
Police were called and the victim described his attackers. The alleged culprits were spotted a short time later in the 800 block of North State, according to a police report.
Charged with robbery in the case area: D. Anthony Smith, 20, of the 1400 block of Edgewood; Eric McCray, 30, who had no listed address; Deonte Cousins, 20, of the 3500 block of West North Avenue; Oaklei Lofton, 21, of the 6500 block of South Oakley Street; and Anthony Johnson, 20, of the 400 block of East Ohio Street.
Cousins was ordered held on $150,000 bail during a brief court hearing on Tuesday. The judge set bail for the rest of his co-defendants at $200,000.
Johnson is on probation for a robbery he allegedly committed with Lofton last year.
The two of them were charged in 2013 with aggravated battery and robbery of a CTA employee, prosecutors said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
