Cops: Pair mimicking pro wrestlers nearly beat friend to death

Two men pretending to be professional wrestlers are in Lake County jail after nearly beating a friend to death after a night of drinking, police officials said.

Aaron Lee Turner, 21, of Mundelein, and Albert Swall, 23, of unincorporated Lake County, are charged with aggravated battery following the beating they gave to a 23-year-old Round Lake Park friend who tried to stop the wrestling matches, Lake County Sheriff's Police Sgt. Christopher Thompson said Monday.

The three friends had been out drinking with another unnamed individual into the wee hours of Saturday morning when they returned to Swall's house in the 26000 block of Diamond Lake Road, Thompson said.

Once inside, the four friends continued drinking, and Turner and Swall decided to "start mimicking professional wrestlers from World Wrestling Entertainment", Thompson said.

At some point, the wrestling got out of hand, he said, and the victim stepped in to cool things down. Turner became enraged at the victim and punched him hard across the jaw.

"The victim was interfering with what they were trying to do, which frustrated Mr. Turner," Thompson said. "So, he struck the victim hard, knocking him down, where he hit his head and became rendered defenseless."

Turner struck the victim several more times in the face while he was prone on the ground, Thompson said.

Then, Swall stepped in and threw more punches into the unconscious victim, causing further damage, Thompson said.

After getting no response from the victim following the beating, Swall and Turner loaded him into their car and drove him to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. They left him bloody and semiconscious at the emergency room door, Thompson said.

"The time elements become a little confusing," he said. "We know the beating took place sometime between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and the victim was taken to the hospital just after 9 a.m."

The victim was admitted to the hospital Saturday in critical condition, but has since been upgraded to critical but stable, he added.

Emergency room personnel phoned police, who put out arrest warrants for Swall and Turner. The two were found and taken into custody Saturday in unincorporated Lake County near Spring Grove, Thompson said.

Their next court date is unknown at this time. If found guilty, both could spend up to 15 years behind bars.