Judge drops battery charge against Rutland Township trustee

A Kane County judge today threw out an April battery case that involved a scuffle between newly-elected Rutland Township Trustee Patrick Whalen and his fiancee's ex-boyfriend.

Whalen, 53, and Randall Koontz, 39, had both been charged with misdemeanor battery, stemming from an altercation police say occurred at 6:04 p.m. April 17 in Pingree Grove - 10 days after Whalen won his race in Rutland Township and lost his bid for Pingree Grove village trustee.

But acting on a recommendation from the Kane County state's attorney's office, Judge John Noverini dropped the charges against both men because it was not clear who was at fault in the fight and because there were no independent witnesses, officials said.

According to a police report, Koontz, who has a child with Whalen's fiancee and lives in Buffalo Grove, arrived at the home she shares with Whalen in the 800 block of Emerald Drive to pick up their child and get the mother to sign a visitation agreement.

Reports said Koontz got mad when she refused to sign the document and Whalen began pushing him away from the door.

That sparked a wrestling match between the two on the street, police said.

Officers arrived to find Koontz bleeding from his face and with scratches on his arm, the report said.

The two men continued yelling at each other after police arrived and separated them, the report said.

Police arrested both men, and after posting bond Koontz returned to Whalen's house to pick up his child, reports said.

Whalen, also a one-time village president candidate in Pingree Grove, could not be reached for comment Friday.