Joliet man swallowed unknown substance after arrest: cops

A Joliet man was briefly hospitalized when he swallowed an unknown substance after he was arrested when officers found suspected cocaine in his vehicle, police said.

Robert Gray, 46, of the 1800 block of Asbury Circle, had struggled with officers when he was booked at the Joliet Police Department and they determined Gray “swallowed an unknown substance,” Joliet police said in a news release.

Gray was noncompliant with officers and staff at AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, police said. After his hospital stay, he was taken to the Will County jail.

The incident that led to Gray’s arrest began about 11:24 p.m. on Tuesday when officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 900 block of Magnolia Avenue.

When the officers arrived, they determined that Gray and a woman were involved in an argument, police said.

Officers later found Gray in a vehicle after conducting a traffic stop in the 700 block of Collins Street, police said.

While speaking to Gray, officers saw a handgun in the vehicle and later determined it was actually a starter pistol, police said.

“Upon further search of Gray’s vehicle, officers recovered suspected cocaine,” police said.

Gray was arrested on probable cause of possession of a controlled substance, obstructing justice, resisting a police officer, obstructing a police officer and aggravated battery to a police officer.

He was later formally charged with resisting an officer, obstruction of justice and possession of controlled substance, court records show.

Gray was released from jail on Thursday on a $5,000 bond.