Anthony Luis Zervos, 36, of Hammond, is facing a felony charge after police say he spit on a correctional officer while being prepared for transport from the Hammond Police Department Jail to the Lake County Jail.

According to court documents, the incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. May 19 inside the Hammond Police Department Jail at 509 Douglas Street.

Police said Zervos had originally been arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct before being brought to the jail for processing.

Court documents state correctional officers were attempting to belt and handcuff Zervos for transport when he allegedly became extremely loud and began making racial comments toward jail staff. Investigators allege Zervos repeatedly called one correctional officer “nigger” and made additional “nigger comments” toward him in an attempt to offend him, causing the officer to remove himself from the situation while other staff completed the escort process.

According to the affidavit, Zervos then allegedly began making derogatory Hispanic comments toward other correctional officers and at one point lunged toward a female correctional officer “as if to cause physical harm to her directly.”

Police said correctional officers maintained physical control of Zervos while escorting him from his cell to a transport van waiting in the jail sallyport.

Court documents state that as Zervos was entering the rear of the transport van, he allegedly turned around and attempted to spit directly into the face of a correctional officer. Investigators said the officer quickly turned his head, but Zervos’ spit struck the left side of the officer’s face near his eye and cheek area.

Zervos had been lodged in the Lake County Jail since May 19, 2026.

Charge filed May 26, 2026:

Battery Against a Public Safety Official, a Level 6 Felony

Pending misdemeanor charges filed in a separate case include:

Disorderly Conduct, a Class B Misdemeanor

Public Intoxication — Endangering His Own Life, a Class B Misdemeanor

Public Intoxication — Endangering the Life of Another, a Class B Misdemeanor