Elgin officer taken off street after New Year's Day brawl

Officer Chris Darr has been placed on modified duty as the Elgin Police Department investigates his off-duty behavior after a melee in which his father, former Elgin Deputy Police Chief Jack Darr, was seriously hurt.

According to Police Chief Lisa Womack, the younger Darr will remain behind a desk while the department investigates allegations about his behavior made by some of those involved in the Holiday Inn brawl early on New Year's Day.

"Chris is not on suspension," Womack said. "He's not on administrative leave. He's on modified duty, pending the outcome of our investigation. Basically, he's behind a desk."

Womack said she hadn't yet seen any of the reports on the investigation, which now includes both criminal and internal components, and would not detail the allegations against Darr.

But her response indicated the allegations were not frivolous.

"I won't tolerate the behavior alleged," she said. "But I have to make sure we do it right -- for everyone involved, including the officer."

Reached by telephone at the department, officer Chris Darr declined to comment.

Womack said she wasn't sure how long the younger Darr had been with the department, but said she thought it was about six or seven years.

The elder Darr, who retired from the department in March 2000 after more than 25 years of service, was the security chief at the Holiday Inn at 495 Airport Road on New Year's Eve.

He suffered several broken ribs, a punctured lung and numerous facial injuries in attempting to quell the brawl before police arrived.

The 59-year-old was hospitalized until Wednesday night and declined comment when contacted by phone.

Jack Darr's partner, James Elwood, 31, received several cuts to his head and face after he was struck several times over the head with a beer bottle until it broke.

Elgin Mayor Ed Schock declined to comment on the allegations, saying it was an ongoing investigation.

"We'll let the investigation run its course and if Chris Darr acted inappropriately, I'm sure that will come out," Schock said. "Obviously, this was a rough group. Anybody can make allegations, but people who beat up the security guards, you have to question their credibility."

Nine people were arrested after the melee that began at about 2:45 a.m. Tuesday at the hotel.

"(Detectives) are still investigating and trying to piece things together," said Elgin police spokeswoman Ann Dinges. "A large-scale fight broke out in which bottles were either thrown or used to batter participants in the fight."

The fracas erupted on the eighth floor of the hotel after a group of men were not allowed into a private family party. The two security guards were beaten before police could restore order.

Dinges said authorities originally detained 10 people, but one, a Chicago man, was released without charges.

Overall, Dinges said, six men and three women were arrested.

Shannon D. Hill, 32, of 5950 S. California, Chicago; Lorenzo A. Patterson, 24, of 1509 Meyer St., Apt. 5, Elgin; and Devonthe R. Mahone, 19, of 20 Peachtree Court, Apt. A, Elgin, were charged with four counts each of aggravated battery, one count of armed violence and one count of mob action.

Kevin D. Schwartz, 29, of 381 S. Collins St., Apt. A, South Elgin, was charged with mob action, as were Chicago residents Natasha Allen, 21, and Jason Allen, 23, both of 912 N. Trumbull Ave.; Lester Triplett Jr., 24, of 642 N. Pine St.; and Breacella Triplett, 25, 3653 W. Thomas St.

Jeanine L. Banner, 23, of 263 Raymond St., Elgin, was charged with obstructing a peace officer.

According to a police department synopsis of the fight detailed at a Wednesday bond hearing, two guards were called to a room on the eighth floor of the hotel after an argument between a group of men and the occupants of the room and the men tried to push their way inside.

A woman who was at the party and the hotel room where the fight ensued said several men milling about in the hotel lobby wanted to get into the private party in the hotel ballroom.

After the party ended, the woman and 10 others in her group went up to the eighth floor, where they had rented a block of rooms. But their rooms happened to be near the men who were hanging out in the lobby.