Elgin teen charged with striking a police officer

An Elgin High School senior appeared in Rolling Meadows bond court Friday on charges that she struck an Elgin police detective working as the school’s resource officer.

Chante Butler, 17, was charged with the class 4 felony of resisting a peace officer, the class 2 felony of aggravated battery to a police officer and misdemeanor aggravated assault following an incident prosecutors say took place about noon Thursday at the high school.

Cook County Judge Jill Cerone Marisie set bail at $15,000 and ordered Butler to stay away from Elgin High School and submit to drug monitoring. Marisie also imposed a 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew on the Elgin teen.

Employees alerted the officer that a student in a faculty restroom was verbally abusive and refused to go to the school office when instructed to do so, said Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Walsh. The officer, who authorities say has had contact with Butler over the last two years, instructed her to accompany him to the office, but she did not acknowledge him, Walsh said.

Walsh said Butler then grabbed the officer’s radio microphone and struck him with it. She also is accused of striking the officer in the shoulders and chest and threatening that she’s going to “come back and finish this,” Walsh said.

An Elgin Area School District U-46 spokesman declined to comment, saying that the district does not discuss student matters.

If convicted of the most serious charge, aggravated battery to a police officer, Butler could be sentenced to three to seven years in prison. Probation is also available.

She next appears in court on Oct. 15.