Judge boosts man’s bond to $1 million in Joliet cop attack case

2 men charged with Nov. 7 attack of cop at Riverwalk Homes

A man charged with attacking a Joliet police officer at Riverwalk Homes wanted a judge to lower his $500,000 bond.

Instead, Judge Dave Carlson decided on Monday morning to increase the bond to $1 million after viewing a video of the Nov. 7 incident that prosecutors showed in court.

James Webb, 39, and Antonio Tobar, 35, both of Joliet, were charged with attacking a police officer who responded to a 911 hangup call at Riverwalk Homes on North Broadway Street.

Tobar was charged with attempting to murder the officer by placing him in a chokehold and squeezing his neck. The officer briefly lost consciousness and was hospitalized for numerous injuries, Joliet police officials said.

During Webb’s bond reduction hearing, prosecutors presented a video in court that showed an officer handcuffing a man who was lying on the ground in a hallway. Another man is standing near the officer and speaking to him.

The video then showed the man striking the officer while the other man in the handcuffs stood up and repeatedly yelled, “Beat his (expletive).” The officer is seen on the video deploying a Taser on the man who attacked him but it failed to subdue him.

Police said the officer initially placed Webb under arrest after he physically assaulted him and Tobar attacked that officer from behind.

Prosecutors charged Tobar with placing the officer in a chokehold and punching him in the head. Webb was charged with stomping on the officer’s head and spitting on him.

Carlson rejected Webb’s request for a lower bond and instead increased it to a $1 million, the same amount as Tobar’s bond.

Tobar also appeared in court Monday and was assigned a Will County assistant public defender after he told Carlson he did not plan on hiring a private attorney.