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Thug with over 40 arrests accused of punching then shoving mentally disabled man to train tracks — all over $1
Forest Park, Illinois, branch of the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line. Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Thug with over 40 arrests accused of punching then shoving mentally disabled man to train tracks — all over $1

The suspect also is accused of spitting on an officer's forehead and face while he was being placed into a squad car.

A rampant repeat offender has been accused of punching and then shoving an intellectually disabled man off a Chicago suburb train platform and upon the tracks below, seriously injuring the victim — and all over $1.

Tommie O. Carter, 39 — who law enforcement sources said has been arrested over 40 times in Cook County, Illinois — has been identified as the culprit, WGN-TV reported.

'I am the victim!'

Forest Park officers were dispatched to the Harlem Blue Line stop just before 8:35 a.m. Monday for a report of a battery, the station said. Forest Park is a suburb just west of Chicago.

Officers found the 59-year-old victim lying on the train tracks, WGN said.

Prosecutors allege Carter approached the man and repeatedly asked him for a dollar, the station said, adding that the man replied that he had no money.

More from WGN:

Carter allegedly pushed the man to the ground, and he was able to get back up. Documents state the man walked to the train platform and Carter followed him.

He then struck the man in the head and pushed him from behind, causing the 59-year-old to fall to the tracks, prosecutors state. The man came “really close” to the electric third rail.

A train was approaching the station, but the train’s operator, who saw what happened, was able to stop the train in time. Authorities were able to cut off electricity to the rail so first responders could make the rescue.

Prosecutors said the alleged attack was captured on surveillance video, the station added.

RELATED: 'Serial puncher' accused of knocking out mother of 11 in Chicago over summer arrested yet again — this time while behind bars

WGN reported that the victim — who suffered multiple fractures to his right knee and a fracture in his left knee — was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Officers approached Carter on the train platform after witnesses identified him, the station said, citing court documents.

But Carter refused to comply with officers’ orders and fought back as they were placing him in handcuffs, police told WGN.

Carter continued to tense up and tried to pull away from officers as they took him to a squad car, the station said, citing an incident report.

More from WGN:

As one officer was placing the suspect in the back seat, he turned his head and spit on the officer, hitting him in the forehead and side of his face.

After driving to the police department, as officers were trying to remove Carter from the squad car to bring him inside for processing, he allegedly began to spit again, hitting one officer in his arm, and hitting another in the face mask, left shoulder, and on his body-worn camera mounted on his uniform.

An incident report shows once Carter was in the station, he was irate at first, and then began to speak with officers. He claimed the victim initially grabbed him, which caused his jacket to rip, and said he pushed the man after he was grabbed.

“Carter then became increasingly hostile, spitting towards officers, throwing a wet toilet paper roll and wet T-shirt,” the incident report stated, according to the station.

Carter was charged with attempted murder and three counts of aggravated battery to a police officer, WGN reported.

He also shouted, “I am the victim!” and “Let me out of here!” during his detention hearing, the station said.

A judge denied a request from Carter's attorney that he should be allowed on electronic monitoring, WGN noted.

What's more, Carter was on pretrial release in connection with a case just last month in which he was charged with criminal damage to government supported property, criminal trespass, and assault, the station said.

More from WGN:

According to an arrest report, Carter entered the Citadel Center without authorization, and when asked to leave, he refused. After being taken into custody, he allegedly started kicking the door of the Chicago Police Department squad car and tried to spit on one of the officers.

Carter also has seven felony convictions on his record, including a 2023 case for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, in which he was sentenced to two years in the Illinois Department of Correction.

He has six other convictions on his criminal record, including retail theft, attempted armed robbery, and armed robbery.

A judge ordered Carter detained, the station said; his next court date is scheduled for Dec. 19.

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Dave Urbanski

Dave Urbanski

Sr. Editor, News

Dave Urbanski is a senior editor for Blaze News.
@DaveVUrbanski →