Post by Site Admin on Sept 14, 2005 5:04:07 GMT -5
www.nwherald.com/MainSection/302188131757567.php
Officer charged in battery case
[published on Wed, Sep 14, 2005]
By ROB PHILLIPS
rphillips@nwherald.com
BULL VALLEY – A Bull Valley police officer will appear in Lake County court today on charges that he allegedly battered his wife and reached for a loaded handgun when police tried to intervene.
Bull Valley Police Chief Norb Sauers said village officials would meet with officer Steven M. Lelli and determine how the weekend incident would affect the job that Lelli has held for four years with the department.
Lelli, 37, of South Elgin, is accused of pulling his wife's hair during an argument and locking her and their 2-year-old daughter in the bathroom of their trailer home Saturday evening in a rural Antioch campground, said Sgt. Christopher Thompson of the Lake County Sheriff's Department.
When police arrived and tried to arrest Lelli, he lunged for his loaded handgun, Thompson said.
"We're just happy that we were able to get him into custody before something tragic happened," Thompson said.
Lelli could not be reached Tuesday for comment.
Sauers said he had had no problems with Lelli during his time in Bull Valley.
"It's very unfortunate," Sauers said. "Of all my officers, I thought that he would have been the last one to experience this type of incident."
Police were called to the Grass Lake Marina and RV Park, 26250 W. Heart O Lakes Blvd., about 10:50 p.m. Saturday by Lelli's wife, Thompson said.
Thompson said the family was staying in a seasonal trailer at the campground.
"We went to the door and instructed him that we needed to speak to him, and told him that he was under arrest," Thompson said. "He began to argue with officers and refused to open the door."
Lelli, who police said had been drinking, later opened the door and started wrestling with police when they tried to place him under arrest, Thompson said.
"We were in the process of making the arrest, and then he made a move for his loaded gun," Thompson said.
Thompson said that before police arrived, Lelli pulled his wife's hair and pushed her and their daughter into the trailer's bathroom and locked the door.
Lelli was charged with unlawful restraint, domestic battery, and resisting police officers. He could serve up to three years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge.
Lelli was released from the Lake County Jail on Monday after posting $15,000 bond. He is expected to appear in Lake County Court today.
Lelli started working part-time on the Bull Valley force in October 2001, Chief Sauers said. He began working as one of three full-time officers in the department in May 2003, Sauers said.
Prior to his work with Bull Valley, Lelli worked at the Lakemoor Police Department and for the Chicago Housing Authority, Sauers said.
Sauers said that Lelli will not work this week because Lake County police officers confiscated his duty weapon. Sauers said he is following advice of the village attorney regarding what action, if any, to take.
"We're just going to have to wait and see," he said. "I've read the police report, but we need to get a little better picture of what happened. He does have rights as far as an employee."
Officer charged in battery case
[published on Wed, Sep 14, 2005]
By ROB PHILLIPS
rphillips@nwherald.com
BULL VALLEY – A Bull Valley police officer will appear in Lake County court today on charges that he allegedly battered his wife and reached for a loaded handgun when police tried to intervene.
Bull Valley Police Chief Norb Sauers said village officials would meet with officer Steven M. Lelli and determine how the weekend incident would affect the job that Lelli has held for four years with the department.
Lelli, 37, of South Elgin, is accused of pulling his wife's hair during an argument and locking her and their 2-year-old daughter in the bathroom of their trailer home Saturday evening in a rural Antioch campground, said Sgt. Christopher Thompson of the Lake County Sheriff's Department.
When police arrived and tried to arrest Lelli, he lunged for his loaded handgun, Thompson said.
"We're just happy that we were able to get him into custody before something tragic happened," Thompson said.
Lelli could not be reached Tuesday for comment.
Sauers said he had had no problems with Lelli during his time in Bull Valley.
"It's very unfortunate," Sauers said. "Of all my officers, I thought that he would have been the last one to experience this type of incident."
Police were called to the Grass Lake Marina and RV Park, 26250 W. Heart O Lakes Blvd., about 10:50 p.m. Saturday by Lelli's wife, Thompson said.
Thompson said the family was staying in a seasonal trailer at the campground.
"We went to the door and instructed him that we needed to speak to him, and told him that he was under arrest," Thompson said. "He began to argue with officers and refused to open the door."
Lelli, who police said had been drinking, later opened the door and started wrestling with police when they tried to place him under arrest, Thompson said.
"We were in the process of making the arrest, and then he made a move for his loaded gun," Thompson said.
Thompson said that before police arrived, Lelli pulled his wife's hair and pushed her and their daughter into the trailer's bathroom and locked the door.
Lelli was charged with unlawful restraint, domestic battery, and resisting police officers. He could serve up to three years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge.
Lelli was released from the Lake County Jail on Monday after posting $15,000 bond. He is expected to appear in Lake County Court today.
Lelli started working part-time on the Bull Valley force in October 2001, Chief Sauers said. He began working as one of three full-time officers in the department in May 2003, Sauers said.
Prior to his work with Bull Valley, Lelli worked at the Lakemoor Police Department and for the Chicago Housing Authority, Sauers said.
Sauers said that Lelli will not work this week because Lake County police officers confiscated his duty weapon. Sauers said he is following advice of the village attorney regarding what action, if any, to take.
"We're just going to have to wait and see," he said. "I've read the police report, but we need to get a little better picture of what happened. He does have rights as far as an employee."