Both Park Forest Mayor Joe Woods and local businessman Antiwone Hardy have agreed not to seek criminal charges against each other in the wake of a confrontation between the two men and Hardy’s wife, Shalonda, in August.

The agreement was part of redacted six-page report by the Cook County sheriff’s office, which was asked by the Park Forest Police Department to conduct an investigation.

The quarrel among the three took place near Hardy’s All Out Smoke Pit restaurant in the village’s downtown area, after a late night fire in a dumpster near the restaurant was quenched.

The report included interviews with both Woods and Hardy along with a witness and attorneys for both men. It also relied heavily on footage from a surveillance camera at the rear of the store to substantiate claims by both parties.

The altercation between Woods and the Hardys stemmed from a provocative remark made by Woods to another person about Hardy’s daughter and led to an immediate and violent response from both Antiwone and Shalonda Hardy, the report states.

The sheriff’s report also relied heavily on security footage from a surveillance camera at the rear of the restaurant to substantiate claims by both parties. According to the report, at about 11:30 p.m. Aug. 7, the Police and Fire department responded to the blaze which was quickly extinguished.

Woods arrived a few minutes later, left but then returned.

In a statement to investigators, Woods said when he arrived, he tried to shake hands with both Hardy and his daughter but noted the girl looked at him suspiciously.Investigating officers interviewed Village Trustee Tiffani Graham, who was at the scene and who confirmed she called Woods after reporting the fire. When Woods arrived, Graham told police he hugged Shalonda Hardy and tried to shake hands with the daughter, who refused and instead just said “hi.”

Woods, Graham said, was visibly offended and believed his feelings were hurt.

Woods told police Oct. 18 that he wondered aloud why the daughter was treating that way, using a vile name for how he thought he was being treated. Woods said the Hardys misconstrued his words and that Shalonda became irate, believing Woods was calling the daughter that vile name, the report states. But the Hardys insist Woods called their 15-year-old daughter the name, according to the report.

During the melee, an edited cellphone video taken by Hardy’s daughter shows Woods trying to struggle with Shalonda Hardy, who was on his back. Meanwhile Antiwone Hardy, holding a large knife, approached as close as 3 feet away but was pulled away by his daughter, according to the report.

The report states the camera captured two people “at the rear of what is reported to be Antiwone’s truck.” Hardy insisted Woods shoved him against the vehicle, causing him to lose some front teeth, later demanding that Woods pay more than $10,000 for costs to replace and fix his teeth. In December, he also told investigators he suffered a spinal injury from the encounter, which will need corrective surgery, the report states.

The police report said Hardy’s attorney called the investigating officer Sept. 24, saying his client “would like to oversee the matter privately, but at a December Village Board meeting Hardy demanded that Woods step down as mayor, vowing to return at every meeting with the same demand.

Hardy did not respond to requests for comment, and Woods was ill and could not be interviewed.

Jerry Shnay is a freelancer reporter for the Daily Southtown.