Lake County Jail Inmate Attacks Corrections Officer On Court Date

WAUKEGAN, IL — A Waukegan man attacked a corrections officer who had been assigned to take him to court from his holding cell at Lake County Jail, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Jim Ayala, 21, of the 1300 block of Judge Place, had been awaiting trial on misdemeanor charges of domestic battery and resisting police in connection with incidents on Feb. 4 and Feb. 14 in Waukegan, records show. Ayala was arrested Feb. 15 and ordered held unless he could come up with the $5,000 cash portion of his bond, which he did not.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m. on March 1, a Lake County corrections officer opened the door of Ayala's cell and was set upon by Ayala, who tried unsuccessfully to take a Taser from the officer's belt, according to the sheriff's office. The officer managed to keep the weapon holstered as Ayala grabbed a spare cartridge connected to it and threw it at the officer's head before running away.

Another officer in the area tackled Ayala as he ran, injuring his knee during a struggle before Ayala could be handcuffed and taken back to his cell. That officer was treated for his injury at a nearby hospital, according to the sheriff's office.

“This is yet another example of the everyday dangers our correctional officers face. Something as simple as transporting an inmate to a court hearing resulted in the inmate cowardly attacking," Sheriff John Idleburg said in a statement.

"Now, the inmate faces numerous additional years in prison for his foolish actions," Idleburg said. "We wish our injured correctional officer a speedy recovery.”

Prosecutors approved four new charges for Ayala, including a pair of class 2 felonies that can carry up to seven years in state prison — attempt to disarm a corrections officer and resisting a corrections officer causing injury. Ayala was also charged with aggravated assault, the lowest level of felony, and escaping control of a corrections officer, a class A misdemeanor.

Following the new charges, the cash portion of Ayala's bond was increased to $25,000. He was due back in court Tuesday for a status of fitness hearing.

Related:

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• Officer Suffers Head Injury Trying To Restrain Jail Inmate