Woman, 60, Won't Wear Mask At Mariano's, Attacks 2 People: Cops
SHOREWOOD, IL — Will County Associate Judge Brian Barrett has ordered a 60-year-old Plainfield woman to wear a face mask at all public places as one of the conditions of her bail following last week's felony arrest at Shorewood's Mariano's grocery store on Route 59.
Janene Duff attacked Mariano's employees inside the store, and she later attacked a senior citizen in the store's parking lot, according to Shorewood Deputy Police Chief Jason Barten.
On Sept. 7, Mariano's employees notified Duff she was not welcome to patronize the grocer unless she complied with Illinois Department of Public Health regulations and wore a face covering; she became combative with the Mariano's staff and a scuffle ensued, Barten indicated.
The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow has charged Duff with two felony counts of aggravated battery. One of the charges indicates she struck a man outside the store "about the body," and the other felony indicates she pushed a woman inside the Mariano's.
Barten emphasized the Plainfield woman's arrest at the Mariano's grocery store occurred because "she battered a customer and one of the employees."
"We're not out arresting people for not wearing a mask," he told Patch's editor during Tuesday's interview.
Barten said the two victims were not seriously injured.
Duff was booked into the Will County Jail at 6:31 p.m. on Sept. 7, and she was released after posting 10 percent of her $10,000 bail at 12:07 a.m. on Sept. 9, jail logs show.
Duff notified Will County's judges that she is a Plainfield Community School District 202 employee, court records show.
She has also retained private counsel to represent her on two felony charges.
Patch left a voicemail message seeking comment from her attorney, Brian Walker, of Hirsch Law Group, 128 Scott St. in downtown Joliet.
Meanwhile, Plainfield School District Spokesman Tom Hernandez confirmed that Duff is an employee of the school district, but Hernandez could not discuss the case, noting that it's a personnel matter.
Duff has worked as a special education teaching assistant for the Plainfield Central High School campus, according to Plainfield schools.
Generally speaking, Shorewood's deputy police chief told Patch, his department has had good compliance from people who are being asked to wear face masks as they visit Shorewood restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, here in Illinois.
"We're seeing the vast majority of people comply with the order," Barten said.
From this point forward, if Duff is out in public visiting a grocery store, shopping or frequenting a restaurant, she too must wear a mask, according to Will County Associate Judge Brian Barrett's order in setting her bail.
She must also stay away from the Mariano's grocery store on Route 59 as well as the two victims in the case, court files reflect.
This article originally appeared on the Joliet Patch
