Three arrested following Crystal Lake fight

Three McHenry County men have been arrested and charged with home invasion and battery after invading a Crystal Lake home and trying to start a fight with baseball bats, officials said.

Evan M. Ledford, 20, of the 12000 block of Cooney Drive in Woodstock, Michael J. Pilat, 19, of the 3300 block of Pleasure Avenue in Wonder Lake, and Daniel H. Connelly, 19, of the 100 block of Lawrence Avenue in Woodstock, are all being held in McHenry County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bond, Crystal Lake Police officials said.

Officials said police were called to the 1100 block of Bennington Drive in Crystal Lake at 3:13 a.m. Wednesday morning with reports of a fight in progress that involving several individuals that were armed with baseball bats.

Officials said police went to the location but did not see the suspects. However, a subsequent investigation led officers to a nearby hospital where three individuals had sought treatment for their injuries.

The investigation — that involved interviews with multiple witnesses — showed Ledford, Pilat, and Connelly were at a party earlier at the home and got into a fight with one of the occupants, police said.

The three left, but went back to the home later and entered the home without authority armed with baseball bats to retaliate and cause injury to the person involved in the initial fight, police said.

The three were arrested and charged with home invasion, battery, mob action, and criminal trespass to residence by the Crystal Lake Police Department and the McHenry County Sheriff’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit on Wednesday, officials said.

The three are due back in court on April 27 at the McHenry County Courthouse in Woodstock.