'Dreadhead Cowboy' Adam Hollingsworth, 4 Others Charged After Blocking Dan Ryan Traffic On Thursday With Anti-Violence Protest
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Adam Hollingsworth, known as the "Dreadhead Cowboy," was among a handful of people arrested Thursday evening, after getting out of their cars and blocking traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway, to protest gun violence in Chicago.
It's the second time in a year Hollingsworth has been arrested for blocking traffic on the expressway by staging an anti-violence protest.
Illinois State Police said troopers responded to the southbound lanes of the Dan Ryan at 55th Street (Garfield Boulevard) around 3:45 p.m. Thursday, after multiple vehicles and pedestrians blocked all the southbound lanes.
Five people, including Hollingsworth, were arrested for their involvement in the incident. According to published reports, the group was protesting gun violence in Chicago.
Police said Hollingsworth, 34, was charged with reckless conduct and was released from custody, pending a future court date.
Tyrone Muhammed, 50, was charged with battery, resisting/obstructing an officer, disorderly conduct, and disobeying an officer. He is being held at Cook County Jail, awaiting a bond hearing, police said.
Gregory Sherman, 42, was charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer, and is being held on $25,000 bail, police said.
Victoria Herring, 41, was charged with reckless conduct, criminal trespass to state land causing intentional delay to transit, disobeying a peace officer, obstruction of traffic by a person, and pedestrian on a controlled access highway. She was released on bail, awaiting a future court date.
Ralph Edwards, 45, was charged with reckless conduct, criminal trespass to state land causing intentional delay to transit, disobeying a peace officer, obstruction of traffic by a person, pedestrian on a controlled access highway, and driving while license suspended, police said. He was released on bail, awaiting a future court date.
Hollingsworth also was arrested last Sept. 21, after riding his horse, NuNu, onto the Dan Ryan at 35th Street during the afternoon rush, while streaming a live video on Facebook with the message "kids' lives matter."
He and his horse were surrounded by cars and motorcycles. He rode NuNu six miles down the Dan Ryan before being guided off and arrested. He was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, reckless conduct, obstruction of traffic, disobeying a police officer, and trespassing on state supported property.
Prosecutors have said Hollingsworth rode at a trot pace at times, but reached the faster pace of a gallop for most of the ride. The horse was not equipped with shoes for the hard pavement, which caused severe bleeding and damage to the animal's health, prosecutors said.
Police pursued Hollingsworth until the horse collapsed onto the pavement at 95th Street and Laayette Avenue. Police saw Hollingsworth kick and whip the horse to continue galloping after the horse slowed down multiple times – most likely as a result of exhaustion and injuries, prosecutors said.
The horse was suffering from extreme dehydration, a heart rate double what is normal, lacerated front legs that caused profuse bleeding, overheating, continuous collapsing, and saddle chafing wounds, prosecutors said. The horse had not been properly saddled and did not have proper cushioning, and the animal's eyes were "dilated to the point that they looked like cartoon eyes," prosecutors said.
The horse was put on anti-inflammatory medications and painkillers to ease the suffering, prosecutors said. But the animal kept collapsing during treatment, prosecutors said.
NuNu was later taken to a private farm to recover, and Hollingsworth was ordered to surrender any other animals he owned.