Cops: Uptown Man Held After Attacking Cop
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A good Samaritan pitched in when a burglary suspect tried to disarm a Chicago Police officer and began biting and punching her in the North Center neighborhood early Sunday, police said.
Antonio Perez, 45, of the 4200 block of Kenmore Avenue, was charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer, burglary, resisting a peace officer, attempting to disarm a peace officer, according to police News Affairs Officer Darryl Baety.
He is scheduled to appear in court Monday, according to Baety.
It happened about 12:20 a.m. at 4251 N. Ravenswood Ave. where the female officer responded for a car burglary, according to a police report.
She had completed putting one handcuff on the 45-year-old burglary suspect when the Uptown man allegedly began fighting with her, the report said.
The suspect bit and punched her several times, pulled her hair out and pulled on the officer's gun while it was in its holster, the report said.
During the melee, a 28-year-old Logan Square man, Tom Lashinski saw what was happening and his adrenalin kicked in.
"At the end of one alley I saw two people and I saw someone leap into somebody's chest -- like a Batman thing. It was just a crazy fight. It was really intense. They were rolling on the ground,'' said Lashinski.
Lashinski said he figured they were just "two drunks fighting" but when he got closer he realized one was an officer wearing a bulletproof vest who was hunched over and holding a man down. He also saw blood.
"She saw me and she was saying, 'Sir, call 911, call 911 – an officer is getting attacked'' he said.
Lashinski called 911 and helped the officer get to her police radio. But the suspect used that chance to try to get away again so Lashinski quickly stepped on his legs while the officer was calling for help on her police radio.
The officer suffered facial injuries, multiple lacerations and puncture wounds from being bitten, the report said. She was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where as of 9:45 a.m., she has been released.
Lashinski said he filled out paperwork after the incident at the station. "All the police officers in the station said "thank you'' to me,'' he said.
"It was a crazy night. I feel I did what anyone else would do if they saw someone being attacked,'' said Lashinski, who works for a non profit housing organization that helps people who are going through foreclosure.
Belmont Area detectives are investigating.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
