Grade School Teacher Gets Protective Order Against Ryan Gardner

The day before former Lincoln-Way Central High School teacher Ryan Gardner was whisked out of the courthouse basement and taken to a mental hospital, a New Lenox man fearing for his family's safety petitioned for a protective order.

"I am asking for this order of protection because I believe Ryan will come to my home and follow through with his threats to harm me and my family, or come to the work locations of my wife or myself and harm the elementary school students we work with," Jay Hollingsworth wrote in his petition for an order of protection.

"My wife is not able to sleep at night and this fear is taking a toll on all members of my family," Hollingsworth wrote.

Gardner had been in custody at the Will County jail before Department of Human Services staff took him to a mental hospital Friday morning.

Gardner, 41, faced charges of threatening Lincoln-Way School District officials but was found not guilty by reason of insanity in August.

Hollingsworth said someone from the state's attorney's office called him Monday and said Gardner might be released from a mental hospital.

In his petition, Hollingsworth accused Gardner of not only threatening him and his wife, but also attempting to kill their son in August 2004.

"Ryan came to our house, joined us in our pool and tried to drown my son holding him under water. He said, 'This will make you a man,'" the petition said.

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