Libertyville man charged with hitting two juveniles

A Libertyville man who allegedly hit two juveniles with a wooden baseball bat after they rang his doorbell and ran away was arrested Wednesday, police said.

Todd Short, 37, of the 200 block of Carriage Hill Circle, was charged with three counts of aggravated battery, two counts of unlawful restraint and two counts of aggravated assault. The juveniles were 11 and 12 years old, authorities said.

Short, who turned himself into police Wednesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest, could not be reached for comment.

According to a Libertyville police report, Short was trying to scare a group of juveniles after they rang his doorbell and ran away in the evening hours of Sept. 11.

"They were playing ding-dong-ditch with him and he obviously didn't think it was funny," Lt. Scott Fabbri said. "Our belief is that he wanted to scare them with the bat, but he was mad and things went too far."

Short found one of the children and struck him with the bat, then hit the second one when he came to the aid of his friend, Fabbri said. Neither victim was seriously injured, he said.

This wasn't the first time Short was victimized by similar pranks, police said.

"He did take things too far, and he thinks that as well," Fabbri said. "He has shown remorse for his actions. It was just one of those situations where he lost his temper and things went too far."

The incident was reviewed by officials in the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, who approved the charges against Short, Fabbri said.

Short was released after posting bond. He is due in court Oct. 5.