An Elgin man has been charged by the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office with beating an Elmhurst police officer and trying to steal his gun and police vehicle.
Bail has been set at $200,000 for Alexander Speweik, 34, of the 3100 block of Heritage Parkway, in connection with the incident, which took place about 2 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15, when the Elmhurst police officer saw him walking along on a roadway and stopped to help him, a news release said.
The officer approached Speweik and offered to bring him to the police station, where Speweik’s mother could pick him up. Instead, the man allegedly got into the police car and tried to drive away, but could not because the vehicle was in “lockdown,” rendering it undrivable, the report said.
After the officer removed Speweik and tried to arrest him, Speweik reportedly resisted, knocked the officer to the ground, got on top of him and pressed his knee into the officer’s head, the report said. At the same time, he allegedly attempted to take the officer’s gun and when he was unable to, struck the officer multiple times, which resulted in a head laceration, according to prosecutors.
Speweik continued to resist, reports said, even when a second officer arrived. A stun gun had to be used to subdue him.
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Speweik was charged with one count each of attempting to disarm a police officer, aggravated battery to a police officer and attempted possession of a stolen motor vehicle and two counts of resisting a police officer.
All of the charges are felonies. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 21.
“Day in and day out, our law enforcement officers face a dangerous uncertainty every time they put on their badge,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “I commend the officer involved in this incident not only for his willingness to help someone he believed was in need, but also for denying Speweik’s attempt to gain control of his firearm. We are all very grateful he was not seriously injured.”