Mark Tomac Sues Bobby's Tap And DOC Prison Inmate Jerry Patton

JOLIET ? Mark Tomac, a well-known Joliet tattoo artist, has filed a civil lawsuit at the Will County Courthouse against Illinois Department of Corrections inmate Jerry Leon Patton, as well as Bobby's Tap in connection with injuries Tomac suffered inside Joliet bar in 2022.

Patton, arrested in connection with multiple violent crimes in recent years, is now serving a prison sentence at the Vandalia Correctional Center. Now 38 years old, Patton became a prisoner in Vandalia in June. Illinois Department of Corrections records show a projected parole date of April 28, 2026.

According to Tomac's lawsuit filed by Joliet's Rathbun, Cservenyak and Kozal law firm, on Nov. 12, 2022, Tomac was a patron at Bobby's Tap, and was playing the slot machines when he walked away to go to the bar. While he was gone, a woman began to use the slot machine, even though Tomac still had bonus plays left on the machine.

When Tomac returned to the slot machine, he asked the woman to leave and that's when "a very intoxicated bar patron, Jerry Patton, involved himself in the conversation. Jerry Patton had been consuming alcohol at Bobby's Tap and was extremely intoxicated," Tomac's lawyers noted.

"Suddenly and without warning, Jerry Patton struck Mark Tomac's face with a closed fist. Jerry Patton swung at Mark Tomac multiple times before fleeing the scene with the female," the lawsuit noted.

As for Tomac, his encounter with Patton resulted in serious injuries, his lawyers outlined.

Patton Sentenced To Prison In May

On May 31, Joliet Patch reported that Jerry Leon Patton III, arrested in two different violent barroom attacks, has taken responsibility for several violent crimes, working out a plea agreement with the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow that nets Patton a four-year prison sentence at the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Patton pleaded guilty to aggravated battery causing great bodily harm to Tomac at Bobby's Tap.

Patton also pleaded guilty to aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in a July 16, 2022, attack inside Joliet's City Tavern at Midland and West Jefferson. "Defendant was intoxicated at a bar and punched (a man) and broke his jaw," prosecutors declared in Patton's plea and sentencing.

Lawsuit Blames Bobby's Tap's Careless And Negligent Acts

Tomac's new civil lawsuit accuses Patton of committing battery and negligence, and accuses Joliet's Bobby Tap's of negligence.

"Bobby's Tap ... knew or should have known that the defendant, Jerry Patton, has a reputation for bar fights and other violent and tortious acts. Jerry Patton was arrested for striking another person in the head at another bar in July and was just released in October, only one month before this incident took place," Tomac's lawyers stated. "Jerry Patton also drove recklessly over the lawns of people who reside, hit a dog, and knowingly damaged one person's automobile in October 2022, right before the accident at issue took place.

"Bobby's Tap ... knew or should have known that Jerry Patton, when intoxicated, posed a reasonably foreseeable risk of hurting other patrons at the bar."

The lawsuit blames Bobby's Tap's careless and negligent acts for the severe and permanent injuries that Tomac suffered.

"The plaintiff, Mark Tomac, respectfully requests this court enter a judgment on his behalf against the defendant Bobby's Tap in a dollar amount to satisfy the jurisdictional limitation of this court and such additional amounts as the trier of fact and the court shall deem proper, and additionally, the costs of said suit," argued Joliet attorney Willard Hemsworth of Rathbun, Cservenyak and Kozol.

Related Joliet Patch crime coverage of Jerry Leon Patton:

• 'My Life Changed In 30 Seconds': Tattoo Artist Attacked In Joliet Bar
• Man Who Beat Mark Tomac Tried To Run Over Dog in Crest Hill: PD
• Jerry Leon Patton Brings Rifle Into His Family's Joliet Bar
• Joliet's Jerry Patton Pleads Guilty In 2 Bar Attacks, Dog Incident