Police: Joliet shelter guest brandishes knife during argument

JOLIET – An argument between guests at the Catholic Charities’ Daybreak Shelter over sleeping arrangements took a sinister turn when one of them allegedly brandished a knife, police said.

On Monday evening, police officers were called to the shelter at 611 E. Cass St. in response to a report of a fight.

When the officers arrived, they identified two people who were fighting. One of the two was Joshua Wilda-Heelan, 22, Joliet police Capt. Jeff Allbert said.

Wilda-Heelan was accused of wielding the knife at the other person after an argument over sleeping arrangements, Allbert said. The knife was part of a multi-tool device, he said.

Wilda-Heelan was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. He was released on his own recognizance.

On June 5, 2017, Wilda-Heelan pleaded guilty to obstructing identification.

Wilda-Heelan was arrested on the charge the previous year. He was sentenced to a year of conditional discharge and fined $500.