2-Oct-16 – Instead of paying $15 to a parking valet in River North last month, a man waved a gun and threatened to shoot him.

Michael A. Pekic is due in court on November 7. He is charged with assault and theft of services after an incident on September 10 outside Quartino Ristorante on North State Street.

According to Chicago police, when the parking valet returned with his Chevrolet Tahoe and asked for $15, Pekic insisted he had already paid. The valet told him he had not. Pekic then pulled from his waistband a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol with seven live rounds, waved it in the air, and said several times, “Do we have a problem here?”

Pekic, 32 years old, described as six feet tall, 170 pounds, with a crew cut hair style, pointed the gun at the valet and said, “I will shoot you. Give me the keys.” (Left) The Smith & Wesson gun model used in the incident outside Quartino Ristorante.

Three other people were nearby during the incident at about 11:33 p.m. on a Saturday night.

Pekic and his passenger took off in the car, turning right on Dearborn Street. Police spotted the car going north on State Street and pulled it over in front of 945 North State Street. Pekic’s gun was in plain sight, according to police, in a holster attached to the driver’s side door pocket.

Earlier, Pekic dined at Quartino’s, entering the restaurant with the pistol despite a “no gun” sign showing the restaurant prohibits concealed firearms.