Two injured, four arrested in fight along Elgin parade

Four people were arrested and two were injured Saturday morning in Elgin after a fight broke out among neighbors along the city's Fourth of July parade route, authorities said.

The fight broke out in the 300 block of North Douglas shortly after the 10 a.m. parade began, said Elgin Police Chief Jeffrey Swoboda, who left his spot leading the parade to chase down suspects.

Swoboda, who was at the head of the parade riding in an Elgin Police Department Jeep, jumped out of the vehicle and tackled one of the suspects as he tried to flee police after swinging a lawn chair at another person, according to a statement from the Elgin Police Department.

One person was bleeding from the head and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, Swoboda said, noting another one of the combatants was armed with a baseball bat.

Overall, two men were taken to Sherman Hospital where they were treated and released with nonlife-threatening injuries.

Anthony T. Barracks, 19, of the 700 Block Grace St. in Elgin was charged with battery and disorderly conduct; Princeton A. Carter, 19, of the 1200 Block Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg was charged with obstructing a police officer and disorderly conduct; Stacy T. Luellen, 28, 300 Block Jefferson in Elgin was charged with disorderly conduct and Reginald W. Myles Jr. 22, of the 700 Block Grace St. in Elgin was charged with five counts of aggravated battery.

According to police, Luellen engaged in a verbal altercation which then led to a physical altercation. This altercation resulted in two victims being struck by Myles and Barracks, with Myles using a bat to strike the victims.

"The fight itself was involving neighbors. It just so happened to be along the parade route," said Swoboda, who received a small scratch on his left elbow.

"This fight involved a handful of people and by no means should take away from a great parade that was attended by thousands."

Despite the disruption, the parade continued as planned.

Any parade goers with digital media who may have captured this incident, should call the Elgin Major Investigations Division at (847) 289-2620.