A Waukegan woman allegedly grabbed puppies by their neck and tried stomping on them after officers responded to her home for a domestic incident in Waukegan.
Heather A. Bills, 41, of Waukegan, was charged with domestic battery, resisting a peace officer and cruelty to animals.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Theis said Bills’ son called 911 on August 11 in Waukegan to report an armed person.
He reported his mother had a knife and was threatening him with it.
Officers spoke to both of them and determined Bills had a knife but did not brandish it at the man, Theis said.
Theis said officers witnessed Bills, who was highly agitated and angry, grab puppies in the house by the neck and try stomping on them.
Officers left the scene but were called back minutes later, at which time the son had captured a video of an incident that happened after the officers left.
The video showed the two engaged in a verbal argument when Bills swatted at the victim and hit the victim’s phone.
Theis said the son, who has several adult dogs and puppies, went to let the dogs out through a door.
Bills tried closing the door on the victim and pushed him while trying to keep him from coming back into the house, Theis said.
Officers attempted to arrest Bills but she was uncooperative and they had to physically carry her outside to the squad.
Theis said Bills was transported to the police department where she yelled that she was going to kill her son.
A public defender for Bills said the incident between the woman and her son started over an argument about the dogs not being let outside.
Bills was on pre-trial release at the time of her arrest for a criminal trespass, battery and resisting arrest case out of Park City that occurred in April.
Lake County Judge Ari Fisz granted a petition to detain Bills pending trial and also granted a petition to revoke Bills’ release in her other case.
Bills, who is being held in the Lake County, is scheduled to appear in court again Thursday morning for an arraignment hearing.