Man Picks Fight With Elmhurst Cops: Police

ELMHURST, IL – A man who did not appear to be in any trouble with police picked a fight with officers and punched one of them last month in an Elmhurst neighborhood, authorities said.

Ryan Nelson, 23, of Aurora, was charged with aggravated battery and resisting a police officer.

Patch got details on the incident through a public records request.

About 8 p.m. March 10, officers were called to a disturbance at an apartment complex in the 100 block of South Kenmore Avenue.

For a couple of minutes, three officers stood outside the door of the apartment in question and heard what sounded like two men listening to a game on television. One got louder and louder.

When police knocked, a man answered the door and said he and Nelson were watching a golf event and drinking. As the officers asked the man questions, Nelson kept interrupting and shouting random things, according to the police report.

The shirtless Nelson went to the door and grabbed a handful of an officer's jacket, prompting the officer to tell him not to touch him, police said. Nelson was told to go back on the couch.

Nelson kept yelling, "My name is Ryan!"

Asked what year it was and who the president was, Nelson said it was "2008" and that Obama was president, the report said.

Nelson returned to the door and tried to shut it on the officers, police said. When an officer told him to stop, Nelson punched the officer, police said.

The three officers tried to restrain Nelson, with the injured officer shouting, "You are under arrest. You punched me in the face," according to the report.

Nelson did not comply, refusing to put his arms behind his back to be handcuffed, police said.

The three officers then wrestled Nelson to the ground, police said. On his way down, Nelson kicked an officer in the groin, the report said. He was handcuffed.

As he stood in handcuffs, Nelson was quoted as saying, "Where is a gun? I'm ready."

Nelson and the two officers were taken to the hospital, police said.

Nelson was later taken to the DuPage County Jail and has since been released.

Police said Nelson did not have a firearm owner's identification card, or FOID.