Crime & Safety

Felony Charges For Metra Spitter

Elmhurst man, busted for dodging train fare, reportedly spits on Metra officials.

An Elmhurst man was spitting mad after Metra employees busted him for ditching his train fare, authorities said.

Michael Robertson, 25, boarded an eastbound train at 9:44 p.m. Thursday in Melrose Park and immediately went into the car's bathroom, police said. When the train arrived at the River Forest station, Robertson tried to run away but was stopped by two Metra officials.

Roberston pushed the pair to the ground, spat on them and then ran away, police said. Authorities gave nearby police departments and stores his description, and he was spotted by a gas station employee and later arrested in Maywood about an hour later.

Find out what's happening in Elmhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He was charged with three counts of felony aggravated battery to transit employees and one count of theft of services. 

Patch reports on law enforcement activity using information provided by official agencies. Persons charged with a crime or issued a citation for violation of a local ordinance are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you or a family member are charged with a crime or cited for a violation and the charge or citation is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to contact karenc@patch.com and we will do follow-up reporting on the case. 

Find out what's happening in Elmhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.