Crime & Safety

Wheaton Man Charged With Battering Police Officer Who Woke Him Up

The following information was supplied by the Geneva Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

Written by Rick Nagel 

A Wheaton man who fell asleep in the Geneva Police Department lobby while waiting for a ride home from police ended up attacking the officer who woke him up, according to Geneva police reports.

Geneva police arrested William Buell, 31, of Wheaton on charges of battery and battery insulting or provoking contact in the Geneva police station, 20 Police Plaza, at about 7:20 p.m. July 21, reports said.

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Buell was sleeping on a couch in the front lobby of the police department waiting for a ride home when the officer tried to wake him. Buell stood up, grabbed the officer by the arms, shoved her against the wall and placed his forearm on her neck, reports said.

A second officer tried to enter the front lobby from the interior of the Police Department, but Buell blocked the door with his body until the officer was able to force open the door, separate Buell from the first officer and secure him in handcuffs, reports said. 

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Buell's next court date for this case is on Sept. 3 at the Kane County Branch Court in St. Charles.

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Patch reports on law enforcement activity in Geneva, using information provided by official agencies. Persons charged with a crime, or issued a citation for violation of a local ordinance, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you or a family member are charged with a crime or cited for a violation, and the charge or citation is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify Geneva editor Rick Nagel at rickn@patch.com and we will do follow-up reporting on the case.

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