4-Jun-15 – A 28-year-old Indiana man is said to have been drinking all evening in River North before he assaulted a Chicago police officer in 2013. The officer is now suing two of the bars at which the man drank, House of Blues at Marina City and Moe’s Cantina on West Kinzie Street.

Karen Wojcikowski (left), who has been with Chicago Police Department for 15 years and assigned to a River North beat for ten of those years, filed her lawsuit on October 7, 2014.

On December 3, 2013, Wojcikowski, known in the neighborhood as “Wojo” for short, responded to a police call at 10:30 p.m. about an intoxicated man at 350 North LaSalle Street.

Joseph Zajac (right), employed at the time as a delivery driver and, according to court documents, lives in Hobart, Indiana, southeast of Chicago near Gary, “had consumed alcohol at several bars.”

According to the lawsuit, Zajac arrived at House of Blues at 5:30 p.m. on December 3, 2013, and “continued drinking alcohol at the venue for several hours” until he was eventually told to leave.

Three blocks later, near Moe’s Cantina, he was seen stumbling in the street, falling down and hitting his head.

When Wojo and two paramedics arrived, Zajac was “aggressive and uncooperative.”

He punched, kicked, head-butted, and tried to bite the emergency responders who were trying to help him. He struck Wojcikowski and kicked her in the shoulder, causing serious injuries. He hit one of the paramedics in the face. He knocked out the other paramedic by causing her to fall and hit her head on a railing. All three were sent to a hospital.

(Above) Google Street View of area near North LaSalle Street & West Kinzie Street, where Wojcikowski and two paramedics were assaulted in 2013. Moe’s Cantina is at far right. (Click on image to view larger version.)

Zajac was in court the next day, charged with aggravated battery and resisting arrest. His bail was set at $150,000 and he had a court hearing on December 10, 2013.

Wojcikowski says she has suffered pain, disability, disfigurement, emotional trauma, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and has incurred medical expenses.

Defendants in the suit include Live Nation Entertainment, owner of House of Blues, and 149 Kinzie LLC, Moe’s landlord. She is also suing Zajac for battery and negligence.

The lawsuit is still in its discovery phase, during which information is exchanged between plaintiff and defendants.