Warrant issued after Round Lake Heights battery suspect misses court

A Lake County judge issued a $100,000 warrant Wednesday for a Round Lake Heights woman who failed to appear for an arraignment hearing because she was unable to arrange for someone to watch her three children, according to her lawyer.

Sara Sandy-Klotter, 36, who lives on the 900 block of Flintwood Court, is charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer stemming from a Sept. 27 DUI arrest, according to the Lake County sheriff's office.

Defense attorney Jason Powell told Lake County Judge Mark Levitt that Sandy-Klotter told him by phone that she couldn't coordinate child-care for her Wednesday morning court hearing in Waukegan.

Levitt said he did not think that was a suitable excuse.

"She's on a Class 2 felony; she doesn't get to decide when she comes in," Levitt told Powell.

Levitt said he didn't mind if Sandy-Klotter brought her children into the courtroom. He added that he would open his courtroom if she was able to come to arrive later in the day.

Sgt. Christopher Covelli, the sheriff's office spokesman, said Sandy-Klotter was stopped by police after they saw her weaving as she drove near Route 12 and Old McHenry Road near Wauconda just after 2 a.m. Sept. 27.

After being handcuffed, Sandy-Klotter refused to sit in the back of the squad car, Covelli said. Once officers got her into the squad car, she used her legs to keep one deputy from closing the door, he said. While an officer was attempting to reposition her, she scratched his arm, Covelli said. Sandy-Klotter also caused about $1,000 in damage to the squad car, according to Covelli.