Man, 20, charged with stabbing that stemmed from fight at Batavia Steak n’ Shake

A 20-year-old man was charged with a stabbing earlier this month that stemmed from a fight in the drive-thru lane of a fast food restaurant in west suburban Batavia.

Jose E. Santiago, of St. Charles, was charged with felony counts of armed violence, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery in a public place and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to Batavia police.

About 11 p.m. Aug. 3, officers responded to a hospital for a delayed report of a male who had suffered two stab wounds to his upper body that weren’t believed to be life-threatening, police said. The male told investigators that he was stabbed in the first block of Willey Lane.

The male added that he first encountered Santiago earlier that night in the drive-thru lane of the Steak n’ Shake restaurant at 1901 McKee St., where they got into an argument that escalated into a minor physical altercation, police said.

After they separated themselves, a female driving Santiago’s vehicle backed into the male’s vehicle and took off, police said. The male then left the drive-thru and drove east on McKee, where he noticed he was being followed by Santiago’s vehicle.

After the male drove to the first block of Willey and tried to let Santiago’s vehicle pass, the suspect’s vehicle instead pulled in front of the other vehicle and came to a stop, police said.

Both Santiago and the other male then got out of their vehicles and started fighting, police said. During the altercation, Santiago stabbed the victim in his left shoulder and lower back and told him “that he would kill him.”

The male tried to keep his distance while threatening to call police, and Santiago ultimately got back into his vehicle and drove off, police said.

Santiago was taken into custody about 10 a.m. Tuesday after being identified as the attacker, police said.

He is being held at the Kane County Jail on $25,000, according to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office. His next court date was set for Wednesday morning.