Officials say a corrections officer was hospitalized with serious injuries after he was viciously attacked and nearly strangled by a murder suspect being held in the Lake County Jail in Waukegan.
Raymond Smith Jr., 46, of Zion, was charged with three counts of aggravated battery of a corrections officer and two counts of resisting arrest causing injury.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Theis said Smith attacked a corrections officer on January 3 at the Lake County Jail in Waukegan.
Theis said Smith punched the officer multiple times in his face and body and grabbed him by the neck.
The officer had significant injuries and was transported to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, Theis said.
He was diagnosed with a head injury and had significant swelling. He also suffered a large knot above his eye.
The attack was captured on surveillance video, Theis said.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said the attack stemmed from Smith being angered by the officer’s instructions.
The corrections officer was conducting rounds in the jail pod when he noticed Smith had an excessive number of books from the library in his cell.
The officer informed Smith that he could keep five books but needed to return the rest to the book checkout area.
Smith became enraged and clenched his fists, Covelli said.
The corrections officer backed out of Smith’s cell and called over the radio to report a disruptive inmate in his pod.
Covelli said Smith lunged at the officer, striking him in the face multiple times with closed fists. Smith also attempted to strangle the corrections officer, Covelli said.
The officer was able to create distance and used pepper spray on Smith, causing him to retreat to his cell.
Additional personnel responded and Smith was transported to the jail’s maximum security pod.
The officer was treated for his injuries at the hospital and later released. “Demonstrating exceptional dedication to his duty, the officer returned to work the following day,” Covelli said.
Smith appeared for a First Appearance Court hearing on Friday morning and will remain in custody of the Lake County Jail.
“Correctional officers perform one of the most challenging and underappreciated jobs in law enforcement, often facing unpredictable and dangerous situations. This incident highlights the very real risks they encounter every day to maintain order and safety within the jail,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“While the injuries our correctional officer sustained were serious, we are very grateful they were not worse, and I commend him for his strength and resilience in returning to work the day after the attack,” Idleburg added.
Smith has been held in the jail since September 2018 after he was charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Those charges stem from a fatal shooting early in the morning on August 29, 2018, in the 2500 block of Hebron Avenue in Zion.
Police officials said officers arrived to find Michael D. Williams, 33, of North Chicago, with multiple gunshot wounds.
He was transported by the Zion Fire Department to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan where he was pronounced dead.
Williams was shot in the chest and head. The shooter, later identified by police as Smith, fled the scene.
Police officials said Smith and Williams knew each other and the shooting was not random.
Smith is scheduled to appear in court next on February 11 for an arraignment hearing on his new charges. His murder case remains active and has not gone to trial yet.