Bystanders chase down man accused of touching teen at movie, IL prosecutors say
A 17-year-old girl was seeing a movie at an Illinois theater when a man sat next to her and groped her, prosecutors said.
Delbert Patterson, 62, “used his right hand to stroke the victim’s left thigh and left buttocks,” the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a July 1 news release.
The teen told her dad about the interaction, and two bystanders chased Patterson down so he couldn’t flee the York Theatre in Elmhurst, prosecutors said.
“It is alleged that Mr. Patterson’s behavior caused what should have been an enjoyable night out at the movies to devolve into an unacceptable violation of the victim’s personal space and body,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the news release.
The bystanders detained the man until police arrived and arrested him, officials said.
Patterson, of Chicago, was charged with one count of aggravated battery in a public place, prosecutors said.
He appeared in court and was released from custody, according to prosecutors, and his next court date is July 28.
Elmhurst is about a 20-mile drive west from downtown Chicago.
This story was originally published July 3, 2025 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Bystanders chase down man accused of touching teen at movie, IL prosecutors say."
