Bus driver charged with lying about beating by cop
A CTA bus driver who sued the city for $1 million after claiming he was beaten by an off-duty Chicago Police sergeant was charged Saturday with lying to authorities.
Ricardo Mendoza, 41, faces two felony counts of disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice, the Cook County state's attorney's office said. Bond was set at $50,000.
(John J. Kim/Sun-Times)
In his lawsuit, Mendoza said that on Sept. 12, Sgt. Thomas O'Grady, who was riding a bike when Mendoza's bus passed him, boarded the bus at Monroe and State. The suit claimed O'Grady "savagely" beat and punched Mendoza. Mendoza initially told investigators that O'Grady also poked him in the eye. But later, Mendoza told authorities he was punched in the face, head and shoulders and had lost consciousness, prosecutors said.
But witnesses -- whose version is backed by video -- said O'Grady yelled at Mendoza but did not physically attack him, prosecutors said.
Mary Wisniewski