Bears Fan Who Slapped Hester Apologizes
(CBS) The man accused of slapping Bears return man Devin Hester in the back of the head while waiting in line at a Des Plains casino has apologized.
Police say the incident occurred around 10:40 p.m. Friday when Daniel Rago, 52, approached Hester as he waited in a cash transaction line at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. Rago walked up behind Hester and allegedly slapped him in the back of the head. Hester then notified the casino's security team and Rago was escorted to a holding area and later arrested by Des Plaines police.
"We were all waiting in line," Rago said in a Fox Chicago interview. "We were all happy, we won a little bit of money and all of a sudden the gentleman in front of me walked over two tellers to the left. And I said, 'Excuse me, these two elderly people were in front of you.' And that person replied, 'They waved me up.' And I'm like, 'No, the next person in line should have went to the left.'
"No response after that so I went over to the left of him and as a father would reprimand a kid -- not saying he's a kid but a young man -- and I just gave him a biff on the back of the head, is what I did. And I was wrong for doing that. Nothing justifies another person hitting or touching another person. It's wrong on my part."
When asked about the incident, Hester said Rago's accounts were inaccurate, but would not comment further.
Rago, a Bears fan, was actually in attendance for the Bears-Vikings games that took place two days after the alleged slap. Rago said during the incident, he had no idea it was Hester until he read Hester's name on the complaint.
"I said, 'Oh my gosh, that was Devin Hester,'" Rago said. "Now I can't even enjoy a game anymore because of the bad choice I made.
An apologetic Rago had a statement for Hester:
"Devin, if you're listening and if you can see me here, I am so, so sorry," Rago said. "I made a mistake. I'm the bad guy here, and I apologize. I'm going to ask you right now, I will donate $500 to the charity of your choice and 20 hours of community service on your behalf. I messed up."
