Court documents disclose additional facts about the unusual event that left a 70-year-old man severely injured on the Billy Caldwell Golf Course, including charges that the driver told police he drove over the golfer because he was cursing at him.
Tory Gardner, 30, allegedly drove onto the Northwest Side course, 6150 North Caldwell, as a “shortcut” and hit the older person on the fifth hole. Officials said Gardner also stepped out of his SUV and threatened an off-duty course employee with a knife, much of which was captured on video around 5:30 p.m. last Monday.
In a court filing, prosecutors stated that Gardner “drove on the golf course as a shortcut” and that “numerous” persons attempted to direct him away from the property.
Gardner’s SUV became trapped with a piece of rope used as a fence on the course. According to the lawsuit, an off-duty course employee confronted Gardner and punctured the SUV’s tire in an attempt to prevent it from proceeding any farther.
This video, first shared by Chicago Contrarian, shows Gardner allegedly “charging at” the employee with a knife during the incident.
Gardner then continued to drive at “high speed” as another course employee arrived in a silver car to alert other golfers about the SUV, according to the lawsuit. The two automobiles eventually collided.
Gardner collided with the 70-year-old and “did not stop driving after hitting the victim,” according to the court documents.
Gardner later “expressed no remorse” for striking the person, explaining that the senior was yelling at him when he hit him with his SUV, according to the prosecution papers.
The complaint states that multiple brain bleeds and a hematoma on his left leg led to the man’s admission to the intensive care unit.
Gardner had “no indication of stopping until [Chicago police] officers arrived on scene.”
The charges against him include aggravated battery on a senior citizen, resulting in grave bodily harm, and felonious possession of a weapon.
Judge Anthony Calabrese ordered his detention awaiting trial.
