An officer was injured after a physical struggle with a masked gunman who attempted to flee and then resisted arrest during a traffic stop in Zion, prosecutors said.
An officer with the Zion Police Department was on patrol on March 23 around midnight when he conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for driving without lights.
The stop occurred at 31st Street and Lewis Avenue and the driver was identified as Lacarter F. Body, 29, of Zion, according to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Emily Shanley-Roberts.
Body did not have his driver’s license on him and showed the officer a photo, which led to the officer finding out the license was suspended.
The officer saw that Body was wearing a mask and was “acting funny,” Shanley-Roberts said.
The officer placed a “terminator” tire deflation device under Body’s rear car tire in case the man attempted to flee the scene.
Officers asked Body to step out of the car and he repeatedly refused to do so while being argumentative, Shanley-Roberts said.
Body demanded that a supervisor respond to the scene while continuing to refuse to get out of the car.
Shanley-Roberts said Body put the car in drive and accelerated from the scene after the supervisor arrived.
He drove over the terminator device and his back tire deflated, causing him to only make it a few blocks away.
Officers ordered Body to get out of the car and he refused. Officers broke the car window and attempted to physically remove him.
A struggle ensued and officers attempted to get him into handcuffs, Shanley-Roberts said. They had to use a taser on him and finally got him into custody.
Shanley-Roberts said officers located a loaded handgun in Body’s pocket after they searched him. It was a Glock 43 handgun with an extended magazine.
The gun had a round in the chamber and rounds in the magazine.
An officer tore open the leg of his pants and skinned his knee during the physical struggle with Body.
Body has a canceled Firearm Owner’s Identification card and his concealed carry license is expired, Shanley-Roberts said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Body pending trial, calling him a real and present threat to the safety of the community.
“His aggressive behavior could have easily spiraled into him making a split-second mistake, or an officer making a split-second mistake and someone having to live with taken another person’s life,” Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris argued in court.
Lake County Judge Christopher Lombardo denied the state’s petition and allowed Body to be released from custody. “You’re lucky you’re still standing. You’re lucky no one got hurt,” the judge told Body.
A status of preliminary hearing is scheduled in the case for April 23.