Five charged after alleged ethnic slur sparked Naperville brawl

Five people were charged with fighting after an alleged ethnic slur ignited a brawl in downtown Naperville, police said.

Catherine Maloney, 24, and Daniel Maloney, 28, both of the 1600 block of Dublin Drive; Ryan Maloney, 30, of Oswego; and Elizabeth Kartheiser, 21, and Jason Thomas, 23, both of Lombard, all were charged with fighting following the brawl on Sunday near Van Buren Avenue and Washington Street, authorities said Friday.

Police said Kartheiser and Thomas were walking together in the area when they crossed paths with the Maloneys.

One group yelled an ethnic slur, leading Daniel Maloney and Thomas to begin the fight, but Kartheiser, Catherine Maloney and Ryan Maloney jumped into the scuffle, police said.

Catherine Maloney was injured in the melee and taken to Edward Hospital in Naperville, where she was treated for nonlife-threatening injuries, police said.

Ryan Maloney allegedly tore an exterior mirror off a silver Jeep Commander belonging to Kartheiser, and was subsequently charged with criminal damage to a vehicle, police said.

All five were taken to the Naperville police station for processing and released on bail.

Officials would not say what the insult was that started the brawl and who actually said it.