Drunken Casino Patron Batters Cops During Arrest: Des Plaines PD

DES PLAINES, IL — A Lake in the Hills woman was charged with three felonies following a series of incidents early Saturday morning, including her kicking a police sergeant, during her arrest at the Rivers Casino. Stephanie Neff, 38, of the 3000 block of Impressions Drive, is accused of two counts of felony aggravated battery to a peace officer, felony aggravated assault to a peace officer, and a misdemeanor count of resisting a peace officer.

Neff was released from custody following a detention hearing and is due back in court.

Police were called to the casino in the 3000 block of S. Des Plaines Road at 1:22 a.m. Saturday for a report of an unwanted person on the property. A person, later identified as Neff, was intoxicated and refusing to leave the property, while also being verbally aggressive with casino security.

According to police, Neff had attempted to enter the casino floor, but was stopped due to her intoxication level. When asked to leave multiple times, security said Neff refused, so they called 911.

When police arrived, they met with security and Neff on the third level of the casino, where she immediately started yelling at them. Eventually, police said Neff agreed to leave the property using a rideshare. Police escorted Neff to the rideshare and then started to walk back toward their squad cars, parked in the garage. Soon thereafter, the rideshare driver waved them down and said Neff had refused to get into the car and had started walking back toward the casino's entrance. Police alerted security, who said she was on the ground level trying to get back into the casino.

Police responded to the area and again found Neff being verbally confrontational with security, refusing to leave. Officers also asked her to leave, which they say she refused, and she then began to advance toward security personnel. An officer stepped between Neff and security to prevent an altercation when she reportedly told the officer she would punch them in the face. Neff then began to move toward the officer, and swung her arm with a closed fist in an attempt to hit him. Neff continued toward the officer, chest bumping him, which caused the officer to push her back to create space. Police said this further agitated Neff, who then advanced toward the officer a second time.

After multiple requests to leave were refused, the officer started to place Neff under arrest when she pulled away and started hitting the officer in the arms. Police struggled with Neff and requested her to place her arms behind her back when she reportedly "tensed" her body and arms, resisting attempts by police to place her in handcuffs.

Neff was eventually taken into custody and escorted to a squad car, where she kicked a police sergeant and the original battered officer in the legs in the backseat of the car. Eventually, she was taken to the Des Plaines police station.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved the felony charges.