Palatine man's bond increased in co-worker's beating death

A judge increased a Palatine man's bond to $850,000 Friday, after prosectors upgraded the charge against him to first-degree murder in the beating death of a co-worker.

David Greer, 48, of 1140 E. Northwest Hwy., initially faced a charge of aggravated battery in the Sept. 23 beating of William Roman, 43, formerly of Arizona.

Greer, Roman and two other men spent that afternoon of Sept. 23 drinking and riding around in a pickup truck, said Assistant State's Attorney Kristin Piper. At some point, an argument erupted between Greer and Roman outside of a Rolling Meadows liquor store, and Greer used his closed fists and forearm to strike the victim, Piper said. After the fight, Greer and the others lifted the unconscious Roman into the bed of the truck, she said.

Rolling Meadows police said one of the two men who witnessed the fight left shortly after the attack. Greer and the other then drove around for 3 hours without seeking medical attention for Roman, Piper said.

About 5:30 p.m. the men arrived at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village where they spent another 45 minutes in the parking lot before one of the other men finally took Roman into the emergency room, Piper said.

Roman suffered traumatic head injuries that required brain surgery and necessitated doctors place him in a drug-induced coma. Roman died Sept. 30. The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide, citing a subdural hematoma as the cause.

Greer has lived in Palatine for about six months and has two children, according to assistant public defender Melissa Wright. His criminal background includes a 2006 felony conviction for escaping from the Illinois Department of Corrections, a 2002 conviction for possession of a controlled substance and a 1999 conviction for retail theft, Piper said. He also has several misdemeanor convictions for domestic battery and theft, she said. Greer next appears in court Oct. 24.