Joliet Cop Punched In Face By Woman On Wilcox Street: Police

JOLIET, IL — In one of the Joliet Police Department's final felony arrests of the year, Wilcox Street resident Erica Steele was hauled away in handcuffs after she shoved, punched and tried to fight several Joliet officers responding to a very loud overnight disturbance at her apartment, police said.

A 62-year-old man, Gregory Woods, was also arrested on charges of resisting a peace officer, and he got released on an I-bond.

As for Steele, the apartment tenant from the 200 block of Wilcox is now in the Will County Jail with a $30,000 bail after being charged with four counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer, one count of obstructing justice and one count of obstructing a peace officer.

While most of Joliet was asleep, overnight police officers were notified of an unwanted person call around 2:15 a.m. Friday.

It was loud when the police showed up on Wilcox Street, and officers heard a disturbance involving Woods and Steele, police reports indicate.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English:

• Woods refused to cooperate and exit the apartment.
• Steele then came to her apartment door and began to yell at officers.
• Steele and Woods may have been in a fight prior to the police's arrival.
• Steele tried to push one officer, and she struck another officer in the face with a closed fist.
• Steele continued to fight with Joliet police until she was eventually arrested.
• Woods refused to let go of a door, and he was arrested following a brief struggle.
• Steele refused to cooperate with booking procedures at the Joliet Police Department and she was taken to the Will County Jail.