Three arrested after pistol-whipping at Zion wedding

(ZION) Three men were charged with attacking and pistol-whipping a guest at a wedding early Monday in north suburban Zion.

Authorities were called about a “physical confrontation” during the wedding about 2:40 a.m. in the 0-100 block of Lakefront Drive in unincorporated Zion, according to a statement from the Lake County sheriff’s office.

Further investigation revealed that 28-year-old Oscar A. Cervantes had pointed a handgun at a 23-year-old man, the sheriff’s office said. James H. Bakken, 33, then pulled out another handgun and hit the victim in the face with it. Matthew Bowen, 25, was also found to have been an aggressor in the incident.

Bowen and the victim were both guests at the wedding, but Cervantes and Bakken were not, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies found the three trying to drive off, the sheriff’s office said. Two .380-caliber handguns were found inside the vehicle.

Bakken, of the 11300 block of West Carnahan Avenue in Beach Park, is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and mob action, according to the sheriff’s office.

Bowen, of the 11200 block of West Leland Avenue in Beach Park, was charged with mob action, assault, possession of cannabis and disorderly conduct, the sheriff’s office said. Cervantes, of the 100 block of North St. James Street in Waukegan, was charged with mob action and aggravated assault.

On Tuesday, Bakken was ordered held at the Lake County Jail on a $100,000 bond and was next scheduled to appear in court Sept. 11, according to the sheriff’s office. Cervantes and Bowen were both ordered held on $25,000 bond and were scheduled for their next court appearances Sept. 14 and Sept. 15, respectively.

Oscar A. Cervantes | Lake County sheriff’s office

Matthew Bowen | Lake County sheriff’s office