Charges upped to attempted murder in Bartlett home invasion

Charges have been upgraded to attempted murder against the 21-year-old Schaumburg man who police say stabbed a stranger in the face after a random home break-in last month in Bartlett.

Arturo Amezquita, of 1149 Dickens Way, was initially charged with felony home invasion and aggravated battery. He's suspected of breaking into a second-floor apartment on the 500 block of Deere Park Circle in Bartlett May 4 and stabbing the victim in the eye and finger with a kitchen knife, police said. He also punched another man in the face, authorities said.

Cook County prosecutors upgraded the charges last week, Bartlett police Sgt. Michael McGuigan said.

There were four adults in the apartment who escaped from Amezquita, McGuigan also said, adding the police haven't found a link between the apartment dwellers and Amezquita.

Amezquita remains in Cook County jail on a $150,000 bond, McGuigan added. His next court date has yet to be assigned, but is likely next month.

Amezquita and the stabbing victim, who police said is in his late 20s, were taken to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates. Doctors released the victim the next day, while Amezquita was kept at the hospital for a mental health evaluation, the results of which have not been released, police added.