A 20-year-old man armed with a knife was arrested after authorities say he broke into a Gurnee home and then threatened a neighbor and a sheriff’s deputy who confronted him.
Jermarcus I. Miller, 20, whose last known address was in Kenton, Ohio, was charged with residential burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal damage to property.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 5 p.m. October 30 to the 18400 block of West Geier Road in unincorporated Gurnee for a burglary in progress.
A 911 caller, who is a neighbor of the victim, saw Miller forcing entry into the victim’s home, Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli said.
The neighbor confronted Miller, who was armed with a knife, when he exited the home. Covelli said Miller swung the knife towards the neighbor and then fled on foot.
One of the responding sheriff’s deputies located Miller a block away as he was fleeing from the scene on foot.
The sheriff’s deputy made contact with Miller, who was still armed with the knife. Miller initially refused to comply with the deputy, Covelli said.
“The sheriff’s deputy was able to gain verbal compliance and Miller dropped the knife and was successfully taken into custody,” Covelli said.
Items stolen during the burglary were located in Miller’s possession.
Covelli said that the deputy who arrested Miller that day had a previous encounter with the man the day prior during a separate call.
During that incident, Miller allegedly spat at the sheriff’s deputy and the spit struck the deputy in one of his eyes. A warrant was issued for aggravated battery to a peace officer.
Miller remains held in the Lake County jail on a $30,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on November 18.