North Suburban Bureau

Pair Charged With Beating Zion Basketball Player

ZION, Ill. (Lake County News-Sun) ― Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly attacking a north suburban basketball player last week as he was walking home from the Zion Nostalgia Days Festival, authorities announced Friday.

Brandon Billups, 20, of Zion, and a 16-year-old boy were arrested June 20 for assaulting 17-year-old Quinton Lakes after a verbal dispute. Police did not announce the arrests earlier because they said the case was under investigation.

Billups was charged with one county of aggravated battery and later released on $30,000 bond.

The 16-year-old was charged with aggravated battery and mob action, and is being held at the Depke Juvenile Justice Center in Vernon Hills.

Lakes was walking home from the June 20 festival with his 15-year-old brother, Andre Lindsey, around 10 p.m. when he was struck on the head with a sock that contained two combination locks, his father, Charles Harper, said.

According to Harper, Lakes and Lindsey were heading home from the event with relatives when they became separated from the group. The teens were approached on Bethel Avenue near Central Junior High by two unidentified teens who began arguing with Lindsey.

When Lakes attempted to intervene, one of the teens struck him multiple times with the loaded sock and then ran from the scene.

"I don't know why those boys would hurt my son," Harper said. "Quinton is not a troublemaker at all. He is a good person."

Lakes was taken to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, where he was treated for head injuries. Lindsey was not injured.

Lakes' mother, Deserai Lakes, said emergency brain surgery was performed June 21 to save her son's life. Harper said his son's condition has improved, but it is not known when he will be released from the hospital.

With rumors of the incident spreading, Chris Szymanski, vice president of the Nostalgia Days Committee, said he heard about a fight, but could not verify it. "From what I heard, this did not happen on the grounds of the festival."

Lakes, who played on Zion-Benton High's sophomore team last year, was planning to join the varsity squad in the fall.

"I love my son. He is a kid that never has gotten into any trouble," Harper said. "Quinton is a good student. He did not deserve this."

(CBS 2 and the Lake County News-Sun are news partners covering stories in the north suburbs. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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