DeKalb sisters charged in home invasion, metal pole attack

DeKALB – Two DeKalb women have been charged after police alleged they broke into a DeKalb apartment and attacked two people with a metal pole, court records show.

Lizbeth D. Arias, 25, and Luisa A. Rodriguez, 20, both of the 800 block of Dawn Court, DeKalb, are charged with home invasion, attempted home invasion, mob action and aggravated battery. The women are sisters, according to court records.

If convicted of the most serious charge, home invasion, a Class X felony, they could face up to 30 years in jail.

DeKalb police were notified of the alleged break-in and attack at 6:54 a.m. on Sunday at an apartment in the 1000 block of Spiros Court, according to DeKalb County court records.

A Chicago man and a DeKalb woman alleged to police that Rodriguez and Arias forced their way into the apartment after Rodriguez struck the man in the face with a “metal pole-like object,” court records show. Rodriguez also allegedly struck the woman with the same metal object, injuring her forearm, records show.

A neighbor told DeKalb police that they overheard the commotion, and alleged one of the sisters verbally threatened to break the apartment’s door down if they didn’t open it, according to court records.

The neighbor also told police they saw the sisters attempting to push their way into the apartment, and witnessed Rodriguez swing the metal object at the man.

In an interview with police after the attack, Rodriguez admitted to police that she arrived at the Spiros Court apartment with the metal pole, records show. Rodriguez also reportedly told police she or her sister had threatened to break the door down if it wasn’t opened.

Rodriguez and Arias appeared separately before Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick Monday for a bond hearing, records show. The sisters were both represented by attorney Chip Criswell of the DeKalb County Public Defender’s Office, who was not immediately available for comment.

Buick issued Arias a $74,000 bond, with 10%, or $7,400 needed in cash to be released from jail. Records show Arias posted that bond Thursday, and was released but is ordered to be on an electronic monitoring device and prohibited from contact with the victims.

Rodriguez was issued a $100,000 bond, and also posted 10% of that, or $10,000 in cash Thursday to be released from jail, records show. Rodriguez remains under the same bail conditions as her sister.

Arias and Rodriquez are expected to appear for a status hearing on their charges at 9:45 a.m. April 10.