Despite blaming seizure, Palatine man takes plea deal for kicking cop

A Palatine man who claims he was suffering an epileptic seizure two years ago when he kicked a police officer nonetheless pleaded guilty Wednesday to a reduced charge, telling a judge he "wants to get this thing over with."

Michael A. Fedor, 32, of the 900 block of West Kenilworth, was sentenced to one year of nonreporting probation and fined $250 after admitting to a misdemeanor charge of battery as part of a plea deal.

The sentence also includes a 120-day jail term, but Fedor had already served that time in the months after his July 15, 2008, arrest. As part of the deal, McHenry County prosecutors dismissed a felony aggravated battery charge that could have landed Fedor in prison for three to seven years.

Fedor had been scheduled to go to trial on the felony charge Wednesday, claiming as his defense that he was in the throes of a seizure when he kicked an Algonquin police officer in the chest that day.

Police had been called to the Algonquin home of Fedor's father a short time earlier after Fedor refused to leave amid a family dispute.

Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally said officers who responded had doubts about Fedor's seizure claims, and said he appeared conscious and lucid when he kicked the officer.

Fedor said he was acting on his father's advice when he decided to take the plea bargain, but balked on the deal for several minutes Wednesday after Kenneally read an account of the incident stating he "knowingly" made insulting or provoking contact with the officer.

"Being in a seizure, I don't understand that," he said before leaving court to confer with his attorney. He later returned to accept the plea deal.