On March 9, 2019, a Lake County Jail Inmate was found by a Corrections Officer to be suffering what initially appeared to be a medical emergency.  The inmate, a 59-year-old man of Deerfield, was found on the floor of his cell, having labored breathing.  An ambulance was summoned and the inmate was transported to Vista East Hospital in Waukegan.  The inmate was subsequently transferred to another hospital with stroke-like symptoms.

Further investigation revealed the stroke-like symptoms were caused following a physical altercation with another inmate, Timothy R. Adams, 36, of the 2000 block of 20th Street, North Chicago. 

Lake County Sheriff’s Detectives responded to the Jail and conducted further investigation.  Preliminary investigation shows the 59-year-old inmate was in a verbal argument with Adams.  Following the argument, while the Corrections Officer assigned to the jail-pod was conducting rounds, Adams choked the 59-year-old inmate.  Adams then punched a 40-year-old inmate in the face.  

Adams was charged with Aggravated Battery – Causing Great Bodily Harm (Class 3 Felony) and Battery (Class A Misdemeanor).  Adams, who is currently being held on $500,000.00 bail for his other charges, is due in court this afternoon regarding his new charges.  

The 59-year-old inmate is due to be discharged from the hospital this week and will return to the Lake County Jail.  

Sheriff John Idleburg said, “We will seek prosecution for any inmate who makes the unwise decision to engage in a physical fight.  We will absolutely not tolerate inmates fighting with other inmates, fighting with our staff, or violating jail rules.”

Sheriff Idleburg reminds the community all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.