Prosecutors say a man fought with officers before disarming an officer and tasering him with his own taser, leading to the officer nearly being forced to shoot the man.
Donovan J. McLeod, 29, of Rolling Meadows, was charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer, attempting to disarm a peace officer, two counts of resisting a peace officer causing injury and two counts of domestic battery enhanced.
A woman called the Zion Police Department on the morning of September 30 to seek assistance in retrieving her belongings at Sheridan Motel, 3412 Sheridan Road.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Emily Shanley-Roberts said the woman and McLeod were staying at the motel together and were in a dating relationship.
She told officers that McLeod had attacked her unprovoked two days earlier.
McLeod struck the woman multiple times on the head and grabbed her throat, Shanley-Roberts said.
Officers spoke with McLeod and he allegedly gave them a false name and date of birth.
McLeod had outstanding warrants and began resisting arrest in the motel room, Shanley-Roberts said.
Shanley-Roberts said an officer pulled out his taser and pointed it at McLeod. McLeod allegedly moved out of the way and grabbed the taser from the officer’s hand.
McLeod pulled the trigger, activating the taser, and grabbed the taser probes and put them on the officer’s body, Shanley-Roberts said.
Officers attempted to restrain McLeod, including by striking him in the head, but were unsuccessful.
An officer pulled his firearm and physically placed it onto McLeod’s chest, at which point the man said “Don’t shoot” and he was taken into custody.
“Both officers were injured as a result of the incident. Again, Officer Sage was tased by his own taser,” Shanley-Roberts said.
McLeod has a prior conviction for domestic battery and was on probation at the time of his latest arrest. He is also on conditional discharge for another case.
Shanley-Roberts called McLeod a danger to anyone he is in a relationship with and police officers.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak granted a petition to detain McLeod pending trial during a detention hearing last week where the judge went through McLeod’s criminal history and failure to comply with court orders.
McLeod is scheduled to appear in court again on October 29 for a preliminary hearing.