Man Accused of Slapping Councilman Larry Hug Charged
Man Accused of Slapping Councilman Larry Hug Not Charged
By: Noah Mussay
Joliet, IL—After seven months, a man arrested in April following an alleged assault on Councilman Larry Hug in March is facing a disorderly conduct charge.
According to Special Prosecutor Dave Neal, the delay in filing charges against Mark Koenig resulted from the state’s attorney continued investigation into the incident.
“I learned from social media of additional witnesses who were not identified that night and have reached out to Joliet police to interview those witnesses,” Neal told the Joliet Herald.
The incident occurred on March 31, 2016 at Double J Sports Bar, located on 1001 Essington Road in Joliet.
In the six minute footage released by the Joliet Patch news website, Hug, Koenig as well as Annette Parker, a Will County Board member, and her husband Brian Parker are positioned around a table inside Double J’s smoking enclosure. Koenig and Hug are standing across from one another.
In the footage, Koenig makes a comment to the group while laughing and smiling. Hug, who seems displeased with Koenig’s remarks, points a finger at him.
Koenig and Hug exchange comments back and forth until Koenig, visibly angry, moves towards the councilman. Brian Parker seemingly tries to get between them.
However, Koenig walks around Parker and appears to slap Councilman Hug across the face.
As Brian Parker escorts Koenig from the room, Councilman Hug is left with blood dripping down his shirt.
Following the alleged assault, Hug placed a call to 911.
“Yeah, my name is Larry Hug. […] I just got punched in the face by a patron at Double J’s. And I want a police officer out here,” he says in the 911 call, ABC 7 Chicago reports.
Joliet police arrested Koenig on Friday, April 8, 2016 however; with the investigation pending he was released.
Hug told mysuburbanlife.com that the argument started over discussion of the Rialto Square Theatre’s management. According to mysuburbanlife.com, Hug has been critical about in the past at Joliet City Council meetings.
Mark Koenig is due in court on November 16.
