Man gets probation for confronting woman over Puerto Rican flag shirt

Skokie, Illinois — A suburban Chicago man who confronted a woman for wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the Puerto Rican flag has been sentenced to probation for a hate crime. Timothy Trybus of Des Plaines told a judge Monday that he feels “extremely embarrassed” by his actions in 2018 at Caldwell Woods, a Cook County park.

Mia Irizarry testified at trial that she feared for her safety when the 63-year-old Trybus criticized her for her Puerto Rican shirt. She made a video of the incident. Puerto Rico is a U.S. commonwealth.

Trybus, who had been drinking alcohol at the time, was placed on probation for two years and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

Defense attorney David Goldman says Trybus’ behavior “wasn’t hateful as much as it was stupid.”

Woman harassed over Puerto Rico shirt, says officer did nothing