Angel With Pants Around Ankles Bothered People Around Water Street, Kicked Cops: Police

JOLIET, IL — A Crest Hill man who was running around Water Street, screaming and banging on doors during Monday night’s snowstorm had his pants down around his ankles when the cops showed up but still managed to kick three of them, police said.

Officers were sent over to the area of Water and Allen streets about 7:30 p.m. after receiving complaints of a man carrying on loudly and running up to residences and banging on doors.

When the officers arrived, they found 35-year-old Lonnie Ward “in the middle of the street with his pants down near his ankles,” police said. Ward was acting erratically and “appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance.”

Ward reportedly would not provide his identification, disclose if he was taking any medication, and refused to speak with officers at all until he was ordered to place his hands on the hood of a car. Then he told them, “No.”

Officers approached Ward and he put his hands in his coat pockets, police said. When the officers got closer he allegedly kicked three of the them in their legs. On the fourth kick, an officer grabbed Ward’s raised leg and pulled him to the ground.

Ward was then handcuffed and put in a squad car for a trip to the police station.

“Once he got to the police department he was still acting erratically, stating that he was an angel sent from God to protect us,” police said, noting officers were unsure if Ward was referring to the “police department or the public in general.”

Ward was taken to the Will County jail.