A 38-year-old Colorado man is being held in DuPage County Jail after police say he threatened a McDowell Grove Forest Preserve visitor with a stick and demanded the person’s backpack and fishing gear.
Juan B. Rios, 38, of Denver, Colo. was charged with aggravated assault and theft in connection with the incident that happened about noon on Sunday, April 19.
According to police Rios approached a 30-year-old Naperville man as he was walking along a trail in the forest preserve, which is located north of Ogden Avenue and east of Raymond Road near Naperville. Holding a stick in “an aggressive manner,” Rios ordered the victim to drop his backpack and fishing poles, according to a police report.
The man complied and Rios took the backpack and left on foot. The victim, who still had his cell phone, called 911 and Naperville Police officers responded.
Naperville police found Rios and took him into custody, and retrieved the stolen backpack from the DuPage River, according to a Forest Preserve District of DuPage County representative.
Officers brought Rios to the Naperville Police Department and contacted authorities from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County because the incident occurred in their jurisdiction.
Rios was later charged with aggravated assault and theft and is being held on a $3,000 bond in the DuPage County Jail.
A court date is set for April 30.