Domestic violence charges against South Elgin cop dismissed
Domestic violence charges against a South Elgin police officer were dismissed by Kane County prosecutors.
Kane County state's attorney spokesman Chris Nelson said there was insufficient evidence to continue prosecuting Shane A. Christenson, who had been charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic battery.
Christenson was charged after a neighbor called Carpentersville police Jan. 8 saying a woman had been locked outside by Christenson. When police arrived, Christenson was not there and the woman had cuts on her lip and her forehead, officers stated.
The woman told officers she and Christenson had been drinking and that she fell inside the house. Christenson's attorney David Camic said other neighbors stated they saw the woman fall outside, and a bartender at an establishment in the suburbs stated Christenson was there, and had been there for a couple of hours, when police went to his house around 11 that night.
"There was no evidence anywhere that Shane Christenson ever touched her. No physical abuse," Camic said.
Camic, who credited the work of Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Greg Sams, said Christenson never should have been arrested.
"We are only sorry that Mr. Christenson suffered the public humiliation of a criminal charge. Sadly, many times a rush to judgment results in a miscarriage of justice, as it did in this case," Camic said.
Carpentersville Police Chief Michael Kilbourne didn't return a request for comment.
Christenson remained on administrative leave following the Jan. 8 arrest, South Elgin Police Chief Jerry Krawczyk said Friday.
"It's still an ongoing personnel matter," Krawczyk said, declining to comment further.
Christenson was charged with domestic battery after an arrest in January 2017 in Elgin. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in January 2018.