Fridge Door Used As Weapon By Joliet Man: Prosecutors

Crime & Safety

Fridge Door Used As Weapon By Joliet Man: Prosecutors Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins opted to let Joliet resident Israel Rodriguez-Yepes out of the Will County Jail under the SAFE-T-Act.

JOLIET— Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins ruled against the Will County State's Attorney's Office petition trying to keep 31-year-old Joliet resident Israel Rodriguez-Yepes incarcerated under the SAFE-T-Act, following his domestic violent arrest by Joliet police.

The Joliet man, of the 1100 block of Westminster Road, now faces charges of aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery and five counts of domestic battery. He is accused of trying to strangle a woman inside a home last Friday.

According to the prosecution's petition, around 7:10 p.m., Joliet police were called to the house on Westminster Road. The victim told police that Rodriguez returned home from work and became upset with what she had made for dinner. An argument ensued and Rodriguez attacked her in the kitchen, squeezing her neck and choking her with both hands, prosecutors outlined to the judge.

The victim told Joliet police she had blacked out and lost consciousness for about 10 seconds, falling to the floor near the refrigerator.

"While she was on the floor, defendant used the refrigerator door as a weapon, opening it and hitting her in the head multiple times," prosecutors said in their petition.

The woman managed to get off the kitchen floor and call 911, prompting Rodriguez to leave the house on foot. While Joliet police were taking the domestic violence report, Rodriguez's family showed up at the house, and they told her not to press criminal charges against him, prosecutors said.

Finally, on Monday, Rodriguez turned himself in at the Joliet police station. He maintained that there was an argument that got physical, but he accused the woman of attacking him, striking him several times in the back of his head. He maintained that he pushed her away and that when he did that, she fell to the ground, officials said, adding, "Defendant further stated that nothing physical happened after. He then left the home and went to stay at a friend's house for the night."

Instead of keeping Rodriguez in the Will County Jail as the prosecutors sought, Judge DeWilkins on Wednesday opted to put Rodriguez on electronic monitoring under the SAFE-T-Act. Rodriguez must also have no contact with the victim.

Rodriguez was let out of the Will County Jail just before supper time on Wednesday.