Newly elected Rutland Township trustee arrested for battery

A newly-elected Rutland Township trustee was arrested Friday after an altercation in the street in front of his home, police said.

Patrick Whalen, 53, of the 800 block of Emerald Street in Pingree Grove, was charged with one count of misdemeanor battery after a "domestic disturbance," said Pingree Grove police Sgt. Rich Blair.

Another man, Randall Koontz, 39, of the 200 block of Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove, was arrested on the same charge.

Blair said police were called shortly after 6 p.m. Friday for a report of two men fighting in the street. "They were broken up and still screaming at each other," Blair said. "They obviously had been in a little wrestling match.

We couldn't calm them down. We put them both under arrest for battery." Blair said Koontz had minor injuries; Whalen appeared OK. Whalen could not be reached Saturday. Both men have been assigned a court date of May 29 in Elgin.