Inset: Montez Edward Bolden (Springfield Police Department). Background: The area in Springfield, Illinois where Bolden allegedly tried to kill a man in a wheelchair (Google Maps).
A 46-year-old man in Illinois has been arrested and accused of trying to kill a wheelchair-bound man, allegedly beating and stomping the victim”s head until he lost consciousness, then telling authorities he wanted to “watch him die.”
Montez Edward Bolden was taken into custody last week and charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder and four counts of aggravated battery, records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
According to a brief news release from the Springfield Police Department, officers made the arrest at about 3 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24, while responding to a report of an “active disturbance” at the intersection of South 6th Street and Jefferson Street.
While en route to the area, the emergency dispatcher notified the officers that witnesses reported seeing a man wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and black pants who was “stomping” on the head of a man in the middle of the street, local ABC affiliate WICS reported. Upon arriving at the intersection, first responders reportedly located a man seated on the curb near the victim who matched the description provided by the dispatcher and identified him as Bolden.
Officers proceeded to canvass the surrounding area, gathering witness statements and any available surveillance camera footage that might have captured the incident.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
Investigators also learned that the victim was in a wheelchair prior to the alleged attack taking place, Champaign CBS affiliate WCIA reported. That victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
While speaking to witnesses, police reportedly said several bystanders pointed out Bolden as the assailant, telling officers, “That’s the one who did it.”
Footage from a nearby intersection allegedly showed Bolden confront the man in the wheelchair before pushing him to the ground. Bolden can then reportedly be seen repeatedly stomping on the victim’s head with his foot, smashing the victim’s head into the pavement approximately seven times. After punching the victim several times, Bolden allegedly took a step back, then kicked the victim in the face, knocking him unconscious.
While still at the scene, officers said Bolden told them, “I want to sit here and watch him die,” adding, “He’s dead over there, I just killed him.”
After being read his Miranda rights, Bolden allegedly continued to make incriminating statements, including, “I tried to kill him, I wanted him to die,” and “If y’all didn’t get here as fast as y’all did, I would have continued to stomp his head in the ground and kill him,” per WICS. He also allegedly stated, “When they let me out, I got five more people imma do the same thing to.”
Montez is currently scheduled to appear before a judge in Sangamon County for his preliminary hearing on Oct. 10, records show.
