'If I would have had my gun': Chicago man charged with threatening Lombard police officer
Daryl Meeks | DuPage County State's Attorney Office
LOMBARD, Ill. - A Chicago man is facing charges after allegedly threatening a Lombard police officer Thursday during a traffic stop.
Daryl Meeks, 41, was pulled over after a Lombard patrol officer saw him driving "erratically" around 1:54 a.m., according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.
The officer reported smelling alcohol and burnt marijuana coming from the car and conducted field sobriety tests, which Meeks failed, officials said.
Meeks was taken to the police station where he allegedly asked the officer how long he had served on the force. When Meeks found out the officer had been on the force for six years, he allegedly put his hands in the shape of a gun and said "he (the officer) won't make it to 7 years," according to officials.
Meeks also reportedly told the officer, "I hope your name's on the police report, I'm going to (expletive) you up on my kids. Thank God I didn't have my gun on me tonight I would have shot the (expletive) out you. If I would have had my gun, I woulda shot the (expletive) out you when you asked me to step out the vehicle."
Meeks was charged with threatening a public officer, misdemeanor DUI and other traffic violations.
"My office takes any threat or even the perception of a threat against a public employee or elected official extremely seriously," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "The allegation that Mr. Meeks threatened a law enforcement officer will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law," Berlin said. "I thank the Lombard Police Department for their work on this case and for their continued efforts in keeping our roads safe. "
Meeks was ordered held on $150,000 bond.
He is due in court for his arraignment on Feb. 7.