Authorities say an inmate at the Lake County Jail in Waukegan attempted to disarm a corrections officer and caused a second officer to be injured during a struggle to subdue him.
A Lake County corrections officer was assigned around 11:20 a.m. Wednesday to transport Jim Ayala, 21, of Waukegan, from his holding cell to court.
The corrections officer opened Ayala’s cell door and Ayala attacked the corrections officer, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
Ayala tried taking the officer’s taser that was secured to their duty belt but the corrections officer was able to keep the device secured in its holster.
Ayala was able to grab a spare cartridge connected to the device and threw the cartridge at the officer’s head, Covelli said.
Ayala then ran away from the corrections officer and was tackled by another corrections officer.
While struggling with Ayala, the second corrections officer sustained an injury to his knee, Covelli said.
Ayala was secured in handcuffs and returned to his cell.
The injured corrections officer was treated at an area hospital for his injury.
Ayala was initially being held on the charges of domestic battery and resisting a peace officer in connection with a February 15 arrest.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved additional charges of attempting to disarm a corrections officer, resisting a corrections officer causing injury, aggravated assault and escaping control of a corrections officer.
“This is yet another example of the everyday dangers our correctional officers face. Something as simple as transporting an inmate to a court hearing resulted in the inmate cowardly attacking,” Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“Now, the inmate faces numerous additional years in prison for his foolish actions. We wish our injured correctional officer a speedy recovery,” Idleburg said.
Ayala appeared in court on Saturday and a Lake County judge increased his bond from $50,000 to $250,000.
Ayala is scheduled to appear in court again Tuesday morning.