SPRINGFIELD, IL – An Illinois man faces attempted murder and aggravated battery charges after police say he viciously attacked a man in a wheelchair in the early morning hours last week, leaving the victim unconscious on a city street.
Authorities arrested Montez Edward Bolden, 46, after officers responded to reports of a violent assault near the intersection of South 6th and Jefferson streets around 3 a.m. on Wednesday, September 24. Emergency dispatchers relayed information from witnesses who described a man, later identified as Bolden, repeatedly stomping on the head of another man lying in the roadway.
Officers arrived to find Bolden sitting on the curb adjacent to the victim, who was reportedly unresponsive. According to investigators, witnesses at the scene immediately identified Bolden as the attacker.
Police said the victim, whose name has not been released, had been using a wheelchair before the assault. Paramedics transported the man to a nearby hospital, but officials have not provided details on his current condition.
Investigators canvassed the area for eyewitnesses and security footage that might clarify the sequence of events leading up to the attack. Video obtained from a nearby intersection reportedly captured Bolden confronting and knocking the wheelchair-bound man to the ground before stomping on his head a number of times.
According to statements from officers, the footage depicted Bolden forcefully smashing the victim’s head against the pavement repeatedly, then delivering a final kick to the face that rendered the victim unconscious. Witnesses told police that the attack appeared unprovoked and described the brutality of the assault.
At the scene, Bolden was taken into custody without incident. Officials said he made several statements at the time of his arrest, allegedly expressing his intent to harm and kill the victim. Authorities also reported that he made further threatening remarks after being read his rights, indicating he would target others in the future.
Bolden has been charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder and four counts of aggravated battery, according to Sangamon County court records. He is currently being held in the county jail.
A preliminary hearing in Bolden’s case is scheduled for October 10. Police have not released a motive for the assault, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with additional information about the incident is encouraged to contact Springfield police.