Elk Grove Village man charged after spitting at police

An Elk Grove Village man was arrested and charged with aggravated battery Saturday after he spat at a police officer, authorities said.

Lenard Khamo, 34, was arrested after the clerk of a Thornton's gas station in the 2300 block of York Road in Elk Grove Village called police to report than a man had taken an unknown item from the gas station and left in a van without paying for it, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Casey Hunter said Saturday morning in Cook County circuit court in Rolling Meadows.

Police stopped Khamo a short while later and found he had a bag of beef jerky but no receipt, Hunter said. Police drove back with Khamo to the gas station, where the manager declined to press charges but said Khamo would not be allowed on the property anymore.

As Khamo and the police officer were leaving, Khamo told the police officer, “I am going to kick your ass” and spat at the officer, Hunter said. Bodily fluids carry the potential for disease; hence the aggravated battery charge, authorities said.

Khamo previously had been sentenced to two years in jail for a retail theft conviction in 2008, authorities said. His bail was set at $2,000 and he is next due in court March 12.