Florida woman sentenced to probation over Homer Glen hate crime, battery

A Florida woman was sentenced to three years of probation after a Will County judge found her guilty of aggravated battery and committing a hate crime against a pregnant Black woman in 2020 at a Homer Glen banquet hall.

On Jan. 10, Judge Jessica Colón-Sayre sentenced Sarah Benain, 30, of Naples, Florida, to serve three months of probation and allowed her to do so in Florida.

After a bench trial, Colón-Sayre found Benain guilty of aggravated battery and a hate crime against Adjoa Matthews, a Black woman who was pregnant during the incident Jan. 4, 2020, outside DiNolfo’s Banquets, 14447 W. 159th St., Homer Glen.

Colón-Sayre also found Benain guilty of aggravated battery against Will County Sheriff’s Deputy Mark McKenzie and aggravated battery against Will County Sheriff’s Sgt. Patrick Jones. The two responded to the incident that led to Benain’s arrest.

Benain must maintain “absolute sobriety” during her probation, according to Colón-Sayre’s court order.

Colón-Sayre also ordered Benain to attend an “educational program discouraging hate crimes involving a protected class.” But Benain already completed such a class and provided proof of it, court records show.

Benain was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service. She was credited with 74 hours of community service already completed.

In 2021 and 2022, Benain had “hand-delivered meals to people in need” in Naples and Bonita Springs in Florida, court records show.

During the trial, Will County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff High, who was working security at DiNolfo’s at the time, testified that he heard Benain shouting the N-word “over and over again.”

High said Benain was “wildly excitable” and “pretty much out of control.”