Bloomington man detained on attempted murder, accused of choking and attempting to run over woman
BLOOMINGTON — A Bloomington man is being detained in the McLean County jail on attempted murder charges after police said he choked and tried to run over a woman with his car.
Austin William Nicholson, 30, is charged with attempt murder, a Class X felony; aggravated domestic battery with strangulation, Class 2; domestic battery with two prior convictions, Class 4; and three counts of child endangerment, Class A misdemeanors.
Nicholson appeared in custody Thursday before Judge William Yoder for an initial appearance hearing. Assistant State's Attorney David Fitt filed a petition to detain Nicholson on the grounds of dangerousness.
According to the probable cause statement read by Fitt, McLean County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched at 12:21 a.m. Nov. 4 for reports of a domestic violence situation that may have turned deadly.
The woman named as the victim in this offense told police Nicolson was "extremely intoxicated," while he engaged in an argument with her.
When she tried to leave with two children under the age of 5, Fitt said Nicholson forced himself into her car and drove recklessly across Bloomington and Normal, going up to 140 miles per hour.
The prosecutor said Nicholson choked the woman approximately seven separate times during the incident.
"We can all die," Nicholson allegedly told the woman as she pleaded with him to let her and the children go. "How this is going, I'm going to prison and I'd rather die than go to prison. ... If I die, we're all going to die," Fitt said the defendant told the victim.
The woman told police that at one point, Nicholson swerved off the roadway, driving into a ditch while the car spun. Deputies confirmed this after observing tire marks that made two loops in the grassy ditch where she said the incident took place, Fitt said.
Nicholson then drove back to the woman's residence, and she got out of the vehicle. Once she was out of the vehicle, the defendant "floored" it towards her, attempting to hit her with the car, Fitt said.
He crashed the car into another car with both children still inside the vehicle he was driving, which caused what Fitt described as "significant damage."
Assistant Public Defender Mackenzie Frizzell asked the defendant be released with conditions, saying most of Nicolson's prior record has been traffic offenses and he will abide by any orders imposed by the court.
Fitt rebutted to this, saying Nicholson will not follow court orders since he is currently on conditional discharge for another domestic violence offense with the same victim.
Yoder ordered Nicolson be detained, noting "he has an extensive prior record," including the domestic violence cases.
In addition, Nicholson was ordered to have no contact with the woman or the two children involved in this offense.
Nicholson will appear for an arraignment at 9 a.m. Nov. 22.
Contact Kaitlyn Klepec at (309) 820-3345.
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