Police: Cop-Socking Man Chooses Jail Over Freedom

Officers responded over the weekend to a ruckus near the intersection of West Wrightwood and North Lincoln avenues, where a man was reportedly challenging various people to fight him for no apparent reason.

They were flagged down Jan. 20 by the man's friends who said he was "enraged, extremely intoxicated and punching at people; and that they needed help getting the subject into the car," according to the police report. Officers arrived on the scene around 1:30 a.m., when they found the rowdy 23-year-old facing a building with his arms behind his back, they said.

An officer approached him, asking what the problem was.

"Offender said he wished to be arrested, 'for public safety,'" the report said. "(The officer) ... informed the offender that his friends just wished for him to go home peacefully and asked if the offender was willing to go home with friends."

That's when the suspect reportedly yelled, "F--- you take me to jail!" Officers then reiterated that the man would be allowed to go home with friends, police said. At that time, he spun around and punched the first officer square in the jaw, according to the report. 

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Police detained him on the sidewalk and took him into custody. Felony battery charges were not being pursued as of Tuesday morning, according to the report.

The suspect was charged with one count of battery and is expected in court Feb. 27.

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