Man Claims Neighbor Stared At Him 'Judgementally' So He Beat Him With A Bat: Police

PALOS HILLS, IL—A Palos Hills man is accused of beating his neighbor 30 times with a baseball bat at an apartment complex on Roberts Road. Dylan Montano, 26, appeared Monday at the Bridgeview Courthouse, where he was ordered detained in Cook County Jail.

Montano and the neighbor both live in the same apartment complex in the 10700 block of Roberts Road. The two have some history when Montano allegedly attempted to sell the neighbor’s daughter drugs. The neighbor confronted Montano and called police, but no arrests were made then, according to court documents.

Around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the prosecutor said the neighbor was sitting on the stairs in front of his building, as Montano walked toward him. The neighbor assumed Montano was coming from his car, the prosecutor said.

The two exchanged words when the prosecutor said Montano, who was carrying a case of water, dropped a bottle on the ground, which the neighbor captured on his phone.

Montano is alleged to have told the neighbor he wanted to fight. The neighbor never threatened him, nor did he produce any weapons.

The prosecutor said Montano threw a bottle of water at the neighbor, which barely missed him, and hit the cement stair. Montano walked away, and the neighbor said he thought the argument was over.

The neighbor walked over to a witness’s car and started up a conversation leaning against the witness's car.

Suddenly, the prosecutor said Montano came up from behind the neighbor and struck him with a baseball bat on the back of the head and then in the back. After some hits, the neighbor recalled hitting the ground and then blacking out, the complaint said.

The prosecutor said other witnesses in the parking lot confirmed that Montano continued to beat the neighbor with the bat, even when the neighbor was unconscious on the ground. According to neighbors, Montano hit the man approximately 30 times.

Multiple calls were placed to 911.

Eventually, witnesses told police Mantano stopped hitting the neighbor with the bat. Montano is said to have tossed the bat away before walking toward the apartment building.

The neighbor’s daughter came out and began yelling at Montano. The prosecutor said he started moving toward the daughter, saying he would “F–k her up.” The witness got between them when officers arrived and took Montano into custody.

Officers said the neighbor was bleeding profusely and unconscious on the ground. He was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center. The neighbor suffered a punctured lung, multiple right-side rib fractures, a fractured left orbital bone, and several lacerations to the back of the head requiring ten staples. The neighbor also received stitches for the other head lacerations, according to the complaint.

The prosecutor said an audio recording taken by the neighbor captured Montano challenging the neighbor to the fight and the neighbor telling Montano to leave him alone.

Montano also appeared on surveillance video from the apartment complex, hitting the neighbor repeatedly with the bat. The prosecutor said Montano can be heard yelling “F–k you” approximately 13 times while beating the neighbor.

The witness positively identified Montano from a photo array, as did the neighbor’s juvenile son, who police said witnessed the incident.

Police said Montano admitted coming home and seeing his neighbor sitting on the stairs. Montano reportedly claimed the neighbor was looking at him judgementally but did not say anything. He allegedly confirmed throwing a water bottle at his neighbor, whom he claimed called him a creep.

Montano is said to have admitted to hitting his neighbor with a bat. Officers said Montano told them his neighbor had it coming, "but that sounds like a complete admission of guilt." The prosecutor said Montano identified himself in stills from surveillance video.

According to court documents, Monaco was convicted of felony criminal damage to property and was sentenced to two years probation in December 2023. The case was also connected to a misdemeanor case. Montano was working at Dunkin' Donuts and pushed a coworker to the floor and began throwing multiple items and machines on the floor. The incident was captured on the security video. Damage to the machines was over $10,000.

Montano has a June local ordinance conviction for battery. Court documents said that on May 12, Montano passed another neighbor in the hallway. The neighbor made a joke. Montano is said to have thrown a fire extinguisher and sprayed the neighbor with the fire extinguisher. The neighbor fell to the ground when Montano allegedly hit the neighbor in the face several times, causing swelling and bleeding. Montano was found guilty in June.

He also picked up a 2022 domestic battery charge out of Dupage County, which was dismissed.

Montano was ordered detained in Cook County Jail. His next court date is Nov. 20 at the Bridgeview Courthouse.