A Lake County man is being held in jail after allegedly trying to attack police officers with a four-foot metal spike and throwing a brick at police while high on crystal methamphetamine.
Pedro Mejia, age unknown, has officially been charged with a Class 2 felony count of Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer and a Class 3 felony count of Possession of Methamphetamine following his clash with Round Lake Police Saturday night, prosecutors from the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office said in court Sunday.
Mejia is also charged with a Class 3 felony count of burglary, a Class 4 felony count of aggravated assault to a police officer, and a misdemeanor count of resisting a police officer, court records show.
Officers with the Round Lake Police Department were called to the home at 8:32 p.m. Saturday after residents reported a suspicious person in their backyard, prosecutors said.
Victims told dispatchers that a video recorder showed a man wearing a gray shirt entering a shed in their fenced-off backyard.
In the video, prosecutors said Mejia went into the shed and grabbed a large metal spike, then walked out of view of the cameras.
Upon arrival, officers found Mejia sitting in the backyard with a log in one hand and a metal spike in the other.
Officers described the spike as a 4-foot-long stake used for fencing with barbs so wires could hook in, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Mejia advanced towards them while swinging the stake and log.
Officers had to retreat to avoid being hit, prosecutors said, forcing the police to deploy their tasers to subdue Mejia.
After being tased, prosecutors said, Mejia pulled the prongs out, then threw a brick at one of the officers, striking one of the officers in the chest.
After throwing the brick, Mejia got up, grabbed the stake and the log, and started swinging the objects at officers again, prosecutors said.
Officers drew their service weapons to get Mejia to put the items down, prosecutors said. After dropping the objects, Mejia was taken into custody.
Officers recovered 1.2 grams of meth from Mejia after he was taken into custody, prosecutors said.
After being arrested, Mejia admitted he hopped the fence to the property after smoking crystal meth earlier that day. He also admitted to throwing a brick at the officer because he became enraged when he saw the officers.
Prosecutors filed a motion to detain Mejia until trial. Mejia is due back in court on Sept. 8 for a detention hearing.