Darien Home Invasion Suspect Battered Cop Weeks Earlier: Police

DARIEN, IL – A man accused of invading a Darien house last month was apparently no stranger to police in a neighboring county.

On July 17, Michael Lahey, 32, of Homer Glen, was charged in Will County with one count of aggravated battery to a police officer. The Darien home invasion occurred Aug. 4, with Lahey being in the DuPage County Jail ever since.

In the same Will County incident, Lahey was also charged with one count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and four counts of aggravated battery in a public place, according to Will County court records.

It was unclear where the crime occurred in the county.

The Will County Sheriff's Office, which made the arrest, is the chief law enforcer in unincorporated areas as well as Homer Glen, which has no police department.

On March 30, a family member got an order of protection against Lahey. Two days later, he was charged with violating the order, according to court records.

On Monday, Patch filed a public records request for the police report on Lahey's aggravated battery arrest in Will County.

The next day, the sheriff's office denied the request.

Often, police agencies issue denials, citing ongoing investigations. But Will County gave an entirely different reason, citing a pending court case.

"According to the Will County Circuit Court, this is an open felony court case," the office said. "The release of the requested records to anyone besides the defense (or) prosecution could jeopardize the court proceedings."

The office noted the state's open records law allows denials if release creates a substantial likelihood that someone would be deprived of a fair trial.

Most agencies, however, release police reports while cases are pending. Cases can linger in the justice system for years.

Elizabeth Matthews, the sheriff's office's spokesperson, did not return a message for comment on Tuesday.

Patch plans to continue sending periodic requests for the police report in question.