Parolee charged after spitting in deputy’s face

BEACH PARK – A Zion man who was on parole was charged with multiple counts after he followed a Beach Park woman home and then spit in a deputy’s face while he was being arrested, police said.

About 12:45 a.m. Nov. 19, a 47-year-old Beach Park woman was driving home when she noticed she was being followed by another vehicle, according to a news release. When she pulled into her driveway, the other driver did, too.

The woman notified her 49-year-old husband, who came outside to confront the driver of the other vehicle. Neither the woman nor her husband knew the man, who later was identified as Ben Smart, 55, of the 4200 block of Barberry Lane, Zion, police said.

Smart refused to leave when the woman’s husband asked him to do so, police said. The woman called 911, and Lake County Sheriff’s deputies arrived. They noticed that Smart showed signs of intoxication and had been driving on a revoked driver’s license, police said.

When deputies tried to take Smart into custody, he fought with the deputies but was subdued and was walked toward the officers’ squad cars. While walking, Smart spit several times at the deputies, striking one deputy in the face. Since Smart was bleeding from his lip, the saliva likely contained blood, police said. Smart then bragged that he had a transmittable disease, police said.

Smart arrived at the Lake County Jail and resisted efforts to remove him from the squad car, so correctional officers used pepper spray, police said.

Smart has been charged with aggravated battery to a peace office, two counts of aggravated driving under the influence, resisting a correctional officer, disorderly conduct and driving while license revoked.

Smart is on parole with the Illinois Department of Corrections, so a no-bond parole violation warrant based on the incident is expected. Smart was being held in the Lake County Jail pending an initial court hearing.

The deputy who was spit on went to an area hospital for treatment and will be on a long-term precautionary treatment plan because of the possibility Smart has a transmittable disease, police said.