Incident occurred outside Spring Inn bar in Elmhurst in April, 2021
In April of 2021, a Lombard man, Ronald Dunbar, was charged with first-degree murder after stabbing a man from Yorkville in the chest during an incident outside the Spring Inn bar on Spring Road in Elmhurst.
However, following a recent five-day trial, DuPage County Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh acquitted Dunbar of five counts of first-degree murder and one count of unlawful use of a weapon.
In a Daily Herald report, O’Hallaren Walsh said events in and outside the bar on the evening of April 10, 2021, were factors as to why Dunbar was afraid he was going to be killed or injured by 28-year-old Karl Bomba, who died from a stab wound to the heart two days after the incident.
Dunbar stabbed Bomba with a folding buck knife that had a 3 1/2-inch blade.
According to testimony reported in the Herald, a group that included Karl Bomba, Bomba’s girlfriend, and Bomba’s brother, Kurt, left Cuvee Cellar’s Bar and Wine Shop, and went over to Spring Inn bar, located across the street.
Kurt Bomba testified that Karl and his girlfriend were intoxicated after leaving Cuvee. Once inside Spring Inn, the couple eventually went into a restroom together.
A bartender noticed, told the group to leave, and along with Dunbar, shoved Karl and Kurt out the door along with a bar stool.
According to testimony reported in the Herald, one of the Bomba brothers threw the stool at the glass door, which the bartender had locked. Then, Karl punched a window on the door, which caused the window to shatter.
The bartender went outside. A video played in court showed Karl Bomba crossing Spring Road toward his brother’s car, but Karl came back when the bartender came outside. The video also showed the Bomba brothers tried to punch the bartender.
Dunbar was among several patrons who also went outside.
Dunbar testified that he had crossed the street to where the car was because he and another patron wanted to get the car’s license plate number.
He testified that while the patron was taking pictures behind the car, Karl Bomba approached him and the person taking the photos.
It was at that point, Dunbar testified, that he took out his knife and held it in front of himself with his left hand.
Dunbar testified that Bomba threw the patron who was taking the photos into the road.
“I thought he was going to try to kill us or beat us. I wish I wasn’t there at that point,” Dunbar said.
Then, Dunbar testified that Bomba raised his arm with a clenched fist, but Dunbar blocked a punch with his right hand. It was at that point Dunbar stabbed Bomba.
It was reported that an autopsy showed Karl Bomba had a blood alcohol content of .23, which is three times the legal standard for intoxication.
“I respect Judge O’Hallaren Walsh’s decision in this case,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
He said the first-degree murder charges were filed in good faith.
“This was a challenging case from the beginning,” Berlin said.
