A vicious shove on a Wicker Park train platform has now ended with a 12-year prison sentence.
On Wednesday, 33-year-old Cory Patterson pleaded guilty in Cook County court to aggravated battery for pushing a local chef face-first onto the CTA Blue Line tracks in November 2022. He was sentenced to 12 years behind bars, with credit for nearly three years he has already spent in custody, according to ABC7 Chicago. Prosecutors had initially charged him with attempted murder before the plea deal.
The attack at Milwaukee and Division
The attack happened on Nov. 29, 2022, at the Division Blue Line stop at Milwaukee and Division. Jose Duran, then a 28-year-old chef at Schwa, said he heard someone shout and, before he could react, he was shoved off the platform and onto the tracks. Nearby riders rushed in and pulled him back to safety.
Duran suffered multiple facial fractures and needed extensive surgery. His jaw was wired shut for weeks, and doctors placed a plate in his head as part of his recovery, according to Block Club Chicago.
Arrest and courtroom outcome
Chicago police arrested Patterson less than an hour after the attack. Prosecutors say he injured a responding officer during that arrest and allegedly broke the officer’s nose.
This week in court, Patterson entered his guilty plea to aggravated battery and received a total of 12 years in prison, with credit for nearly three already served, according to the same station’s reporting.
Duran's recovery and reaction
Duran’s long recovery has involved multiple surgeries and significant medical bills, and friends organized a fundraiser to help cover his expenses, local reports noted. Describing the moment of the attack, he recalled how quickly it unfolded.
"I just heard a 'Hey!' and then I was on the tracks," he told CBS Chicago after the incident.
Transit safety and local response
The case has fueled renewed concern about safety on CTA platforms as city officials juggle security strategies and budget realities. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the CTA has increased guard coverage in recent years and pointed to declines in some categories of reported crime on the system while leaders debate longer-term plans for transit security.
Patterson will serve his sentence under Illinois custody rules. Duran has said he hopes to return to cooking full-time once he fully heals, and neighbors and friends continue to track his recovery and support the fundraiser launched after the 2022 attack.
