Alsip Man Charged In Fight Outside Palos Park Jewel

PALOS PARK, IL — An Alsip man asked to leave the Palos Park Jewel-Osco last Thursday is accused of stealing an employee’s backpack and then punching the employee out in the parking lot.

Around 10:11 p.m. Thursday, two men were reported fighting in the in parking lot out of Jewel, 9652 W. 131st Street. Palos police said when officers arrived, the 61-year old employee was bleeding from the face.

The employee told police he was ending his shift at Jewel. He put his backpack down on the Jewel bench to clock out when he noticed his backpack had been taken from the bench. A fellow employee said a man, who had been asked to leave the store, had taken the man’s backpack from the bench inside the supermarket and left.

Police said the employee caught up with the man kicked out of the store, identified as Jason L. Garza, of Alsip. The employee told Garza he had his backpack and wanted it back.

Garza is alleged to have said, “You want your backpack,” before throwing it on the ground in the parking lot.

As the employee went to pick up and grab his backpack, police said Garza attacked him, punching him several times in the face with a closed fist.

Officers found Garza in the east end of the parking lot and tried to detain him. Police said Garza resisted and officers had to physically restrain Garza.

Palos Fire Protection District paramedics were called, who transported Garza to Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital for observation. Police said Garza made comments to paramedics about “wanting to hurt people” and yelling other derogatory comments to an Arab American officer.

Garza was charged with misdemeanor theft, battery and resisting arrest. He is currently hospitalized, and the charges may be upgraded. According to Cook County court records, Garza has had 52 arrests.