DUI Driver Said 'All Cops Must Die' and Spit in Officer's Mouth: Police

Riverside, IL - An injured police officer was taken to the emergency room April 23 after a woman arrested for drunken driving reportedly thrashed him and spit in his face in the Riverside Police Department booking room.

Latoya L. King, 32 of the 5000 block of Washington Boulevard in Chicago, became "extremely violent" after she blew a 0.16 in the Breathalyzer at the police station, according to Riverside police.

King was pulled over at 2:27 a.m. Saturday for speeding 53 mph in a 35 mph zone in the 3200 block of Harlem. The arresting officer smelled alcohol on her breath, and he saw a plastic cup containing amber liquid — later found to be Remy Martin liquor. King failed field sobriety tests, and she said she was on her way home from clubbing, police reported.

King initially told the officer she didn't have a driver's license with her, and she said she didn't know how to spell her name.

While she was being fingerprinted and booked at the police station, King broke away from officers and kicked and punched the live scan booking machine, police reported. She violently fought with arresting officers, and she punched, kicked and spit in the mouth, eyes and nose of one officer.

Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said King told the officers, “I’m going to come back and kill your kids and grandkids,” and “All cops must die."

"This type of statement is symptomatic of the events that are going on nationwide, criticizing police officers for their arrest techniques," Weitzel said in a statement. "This arrestee screamed repeatedly that she hated all police officers. It is a shame that officers must be subjected to this demeaning rhetoric for just simply doing their job. However, in this case, the defendant took it one step further by physically battering an officer and spitting saliva directly into his face."

The officer was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood for treatment of his injuries and for blood borne pathogen exposure protocols. He was released later that morning.

King was charged with with felony aggravated drunk driving, aggravated battery to a police officer, obstruction of identification, resisting arrest, misdemeanor DUI, driving with no valid driver’s license and several other traffic related citations, police reported.

Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said he will seek a court order to have the King tested for communicative diseases and other medical issues that could hurt the officer.

King's criminal history includes 20 prior arrests for obstruction, invasion of privacy, traffic offenses, assault, damage to property and theft, police reported.

Photo courtesy of Riverside police.