Mount Prospect men admit to attacking cabbie

Two Mount Prospect men admitted Tuesday to attacking a cabbie late last month after he drove them from Rolling Meadows to Mount Prospect.

Cook County Judge Kay Hanlon sentenced 24-year-old Miguel Salas, of the 1900 block of W. Algonquin Road, to two years in prison in exchange for his guilty plea to aggravated battery. Salas received credit for the 25 days he has spent in custody since his arrest. Previously, he was convicted of aggravated DUI and sentenced last September to one year in prison.

Hanlon sentenced Salas' co-defendant, Juan Martinez, 25, of the 2000 block of W. Algonquin Road, to 24 months probation and ordered him to pay the driver $1,400 in restitution. She also ordered Martinez pay $654 in fines. Martinez has no other criminal background, authorities said.

The cabdriver picked the men up at about 10:30 p.m. July 23, and drove them to the 2000 block of Algonquin Road in Mount Prospect, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Bill Cotter. After they arrived, Salas — who was seated behind the driver — put his left arm around the cabbie's neck and began striking him in the face with his fist, Cotter said. The driver escaped the car and tried to run away, when Martinez grabbed him in a bear hug causing him to fall, after which both defendants began striking the victim, Cotter said.

The defendants fled when police arrived around 10:55 p.m., Cotter said. Authorities apprehended Martinez about 45 feet from the scene and found Salas a short time later in his nearby apartment, Cotter said.

The victim was injured in the attack but suffers no lingering issues, Cotter said.