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A Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy is recovering in the hospital after being sprayed with bear spray during a mental health call Monday morning.
The incident occurred around 7:10 a.m. in the 200 block of Pond Ridge Road in Libertyville.
Members of the Sheriff’s Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COaST) were attempting to serve a mental health writ on a 41-year-old man.
A mental health writ is a court order that allows police to take someone to a facility for evaluation if they are a danger to themselves or others.
Family members told the court the man was suffering from paranoia, lack of sleep, and unpredictable outbursts.
When deputies arrived, the man locked himself in a bedroom.
Deputies outside the home saw the man holding a hatchet through a window.
After deputies spoke calmly through the door, the man eventually put the hatchet down.
As deputies entered the room to help him, the man grabbed a large canister of bear spray and sprayed them at close range.
One deputy was hit directly in the eyes.
Officers used a TASER to subdue the man and took him into custody.
The injured deputy was rushed to a local hospital for treatment.
Six other deputies were treated for bear spray exposure at the scene.
While at the hospital, the man also kicked a nurse.
Sheriff John D. Idleburg praised his team for staying professional during the unpredictable and dangerous situation.
The Sheriff’s Office is now seeking criminal charges against the man for the attacks.
