Man possibly paralyzed in Elgin brawl

An Elgin teen was charged Wednesday for his role in a Tuesday evening fight at Wing Park that likely will leave a 21-year-old Elgin man permanently paralyzed, authorities said.

Patrick Hazley, 19, of 851 Bode Road #6, was charged with aggravated battery with great body harm.

Police were called at 5:17 p.m. Tuesday to the play area of Wing Park, where they found Christopher Gilkey, 21, of 301 Kathleen Drive, Elgin, lying in the grass.

He was taken to Sherman Hospital and later airlifted to the intensive care unit of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Doctors at the hospital said a preliminary diagnosis showed Gilkey's spinal cord was severed with probable permanent paralysis.

Police learned about Hazley when he went to Provena St. Joseph Hospital Tuesday evening with his brother, Jeremy Edwards, to be treated for chest and arm stab wounds.

In court on Wednesday, Hazley said he moved to Elgin about a month ago from Chicago, had numerous arrests as a juvenile and had been a ward of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Hazley said in court, "I moved to Elgin to have a better life."

Elgin police said Wednesday the incident started with a fistfight, and detectives investigating said it was not gang-related.

Hazley was unable to post a $4,000 bond and was taken to the Kane County jail to await a June 26 court date at the Kane County Judicial Center.

Elgin police were still investigating the case Wednesday and said no one else was in custody in connection with the incident.