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| Demetrius Blackwell and the Anita Dee | CPD; Anita Dee |
An evening excursion on the lake took an unexpectedly wild turn last Monday as the Anita Dee charter yacht made its way back to port near Navy Pier, according to police records.
Witnesses and victims told police that the boat was approaching its dock at 200 North Breakwater Drive around 9:30 p.m. when 28-year-old Demetrius Blackwell got into a dispute with other passengers. When a security guard tried to defuse the situation, Blackwell pushed the 56-year-old man down a staircase, according to a police report.
The boat’s first mate and another employee escorted Blackwell from the yacht. That’s when he allegedly “became extremely irate” and began fighting with passengers who were waiting to board the ship. When the first mate approached Blackwell again, Blackwell placed him in a chokehold and spat in his face, prosecutors said.
A 25-year-old passenger from Lincoln Park decided to intervene. Blackwell punched him in the face and ran, according to charges.
Hang on. It’s not over.
Police arrived just as Blackwell was walking away. A foot pursuit broke out. When cops caught up with him in the 100 block of North Lake Shore Drive, Blackwell began flailing his arms and pushing officers, according to cops, who said they performed an “emergency takedown” of Blackwell and placed him in a patrol car.
Blackwell repeatedly kicked the rear passenger door, damaging the patrol car, police said, so they decided to take him to a hospital for evaluation.
When he was removed from the squad to get into an ambulance, Blackwell spat in a police officer’s face and mouth, prosecutors said. Police performed another “emergency takedown.”
At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Blackwell was evaluated and released to police. Upon arrival at the 1st (Central) District station, Blackwell “slipped out of his handcuffs” and bit a police officer, according to prosecutors. The officer punched Blackwell “to defeat serious injury.”
Prosecutors charged Blackwell with two counts of felony aggravated battery of police; three counts of misdemeanor battery; three counts of resisting police; and one count of criminal damage. Judge Stephanie Miller ordered him held without bail. He is due in court again today.
