A defendant attending a court hearing at the Park City Courthouse became disruptive and was found in contempt before punching an officer in the head while resisting arrest.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said Ismael J. Nieves, 30, of Lake Bluff, was at the Park City Branch Courthouse, 301 South Greenleaf Street in Park City, around 1:45 p.m. on September 15.
Nieves was attending an arraignment hearing at the courthouse for a traffic case.
He was cited with operating an uninsured motor vehicle and failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash for an August 8 incident in Waukegan, court records show.
Covelli said Nieves became disruptive during the court call.
The court security officer attempted to calm him down but he continued to act out while court was in session.
The judge presiding over the hearing held Nieves in contempt of court.
Covelli said Nieves resisted the court security officer who was taking him into custody on the contempt of court charge.
Two panic alarms in the courtroom were activated and the Park City Police Department responded to the scene to assist, according to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Savannah Halcomb.
Additional officers arrived and Nieves continued resisting arrest and struck a Park City police officer in the head, Covelli said.
Halcomb said Nieves also struck an officer in the chest during the scuffle. The officer who was struck in the head was punched in his eye area.
Park City police officers used a taser on Nieves and he was then successfully taken into custody.
Halcomb said Nieves initially became disruptive when Lake County Judge Matthew DeMartini told the man to have a seat in the back of the courtroom, prompting him to respond to the judge, “You can’t tell me what to do.”
In addition to the contempt of court charge, Nieves was charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer and one count of resisting arrest causing injury.
He was transported to the Lake County Jail and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him pending trial.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the request during a detention hearing.
Nieves is scheduled to appear in court again on October 7 for a preliminary hearing.