A Romeoville father and son were charged Monday in connection with the fatal beating of a man in southwest suburban Romeoville Sunday.
Mark Ballard, 42, and his 15-year-old son were each charged with first degree murder.
Both are accused of using baseball bats to attack Richard Pollack, 55, in front of his home on the 400 block of Tallman Avenue about 2 a.m. Sunday. Police say the attack stemmed from an argument over a stolen skateboard.
"There was a dispute between neighbors over some property from a car burglary, all of which was unreported to [police] at the time," said Commander Ken Kroll with the Romeoville Police Department.
A longtime friend of the victim said Pollack confronted some people and accused them of stealing his son's skateboard. Those people left and came back with a group of six or seven guys and attacked Pollack, the friend said.
"The guy came down the street with six of his buddies and they beat him here in the street," said neighbor Larry Hale.
Pollack, who worked as an auto mechanic, was taken to Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 3 a.m.
Officers later found Ballard and his son near the scene and took them into custody.
Ballard was being held on $5 million bond and his son was being held on $1 million bond.
