24-year-old man punches election judge in the face while waiting in line to vote

A 24-year-old Illinois man has been arrested after allegedly causing a disruption in the voting line before punching an election judge in the face, police said.

The incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. Sunday when Orland Park police officers were dispatched to the Orland Park Township Office in Illinois because a man — later identified as 24-year-old Daniel Schmidt — was “causing a disruption in the voting line.” the police said.

“Officers on scene discovered Schmidt entered the municipal building and walked past numerous other voters waiting in line to enter the voting precinct,” Orland Park police said in a news release describing the incident. “An election judge at the entrance told Schmidt to go to the back of the line and wait his turn, which Schmidt refused.”

Police said at that time another election judge was called to assist with the disturbance and Schmidt was again instructed to go to the back of the line, which Schmidt refused to do.

“Schmidt attempted to push past that election judge, but was prevented from entering by that judge and several other employees,” authorities said. “Schmidt started yelling profanities and punched the election judge in the face, causing their glasses to fall off.”

Several other customers jumped in and managed to restrain Schmidt until officers arrived and found him in the township office where he tried to resist arrest, police said.

“At Orland Park Police Headquarters, the Cook County State Attorney’s Office was contacted and (2) counts of Aggravated Battery on a Victim Over 60 (Class 3 Felony), (2) Counts of Aggravated Battery in a Public Place (class 3 misdemeanor), (5) misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct,” according to Orland Park police.

Schmidt was held overnight and transported to the Bridgeview courthouse for a detention hearing. The investigation is currently ongoing.