Police in Illinois said a man was arrested and charged over the weekend after he attacked an elderly election official while waiting in an early voting line.
Orland Park police said Daniel Schmidt, 24, was taken into custody on felony battery charges after he punched the election judge Sunday while trying to skip the line.
Authorities said Mr. Schmidt was stopped by one of the judges, an 80-year-old woman, who told him to go back in line and wait his turn.
More election officials came over to help the woman, police said, then the suspect tried to push past a 74-year-old man working the polling station.
“Schmidt began to yell profanities and punched the election judge in the face, knocking [his] glasses off,” police said in a statement. “At that point several other patrons jumped in and restrained Schmidt until officers arrived.”
Police said Mr. Schimdt resisted arrest while being handcuffed.
The suspect was held in jail overnight and had a court hearing Monday.
Orland Park is 25 miles southwest of Chicago.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.