Dollar Store Shoplifter Injures Officer Resisting Arrest: POLICE

ALSIP, IL -- An Alsip man injured a police officer who tried to arrest him while heisting items at a dollar store, prosecutors said. John Brookhouse, 23, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on a felony charge of aggravated resisting arrest. Brookhouse is also charged with misdemeanor retail theft.

According to the charges, Brookhouse was at the Family Dollar Store at 122nd Street and Pulaski Road in Alsip on Nov. 28, when he was spotted putting items down his pants. Police arrived while the alleged retail theft was still in progress.

“How many items for a dollar can someone stuff down their pants,” Felice asked. “Everything there costs a dollar, right?”

When police arrived the officer tried to remove items from Brookhouse's hands, the prosecutor said. Brookhouse reportedly went to floor taking the officer down with him, causing the officer to hit his head and hands on a shelf. Brookhouse allegedly put his arms and hands under his chest and began kicking his feet in a further attempt to resist arrest. The officer was taken to Palos Community Hospital to have his cuts checked out.

The assistant public defender told the judge that the police officer was hitting the back of his client’s head. When Brookhouse turned his head around to avoid the blows, the officer hit his hand on the floor. The assistant public defender then spun Brookhouse around to show the judge the back of his head, although no marks were immediately apparent. He also added that Brookhouse has epilepsy, but didn’t know if his client was having a seizure.

Brookhouse was released on a $25,000 I-bond and placed on a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. The assistant public defender filed an order to preserve video from the store. Brookhouse is due back in court Dec. 19.