Minooka's I-55 Abuser Took Metal Chain From Truck Bed, Broke Window, Struck Her Face, Shoulder: Prosecutor

MINOOKA, IL — A 26-year-old Minooka man who spent the weekend in Will County's Jail following allegations of using a metal chain from his pickup truck bed to smash his window and strike a woman in the face and shoulder, leaving her hospitalized, has regained his freedom thanks to former village of Plainfield attorney Joan Meyers, who now serves as an associate Will County judge.

Meyers could have imposed the SAFE-T-Act's dangerous standard against Aurelius Lennon-Rios, who resides with his parents in the 300 block of Prairie Ridge Drive.

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The Will County State's Attorney's Office filed a petition to deny pretrial release for Lennon after charging him with two crimes of aggravated battery and two crimes of domestic battery, but Judge Meyers rejected the state's arguments and set free the criminal defendant accused of violent and explosive behavior.

According to the prosecution's filing, the Illinois State Police was responsible for the arrest because it happened along Interstate 55, of all places.

This past Saturday, Oct. 24, during the early morning hours, the highway troopers were sent to I-55 and Arsenal Road for a domestic problem. Troopers found the woman bleeding from her face and nose, and she said her boyfriend attacked her. They were driving from Wilmington where they spent the night, back to Minooka, where they live with Lennon's parents in their residence, court files show.

"She was concerned about his poor driving," prosecutors outlined in their SAFE-T-Act petition. "They had a flat tire and she exited the pickup truck trying to leave."

Prosecutors noted that Lennon threw the woman back into his truck and then she locked the doors and that left him irate and locked out of his own truck. Court files show the young man from Minooka took a metal chain from the bed of his truck and swung it into the truck, breaking the window and striking her on the face and shoulder.

As the victim called her mother for help, Lennon reached inside, opened his door and pulled her outside of his truck, prosecutors pointed out for Judge Meyers.

When Illinois State Police found her, the victim no longer had her glasses after being beaten, court files show. She had a bloody nose, a shoulder contusion, a bump on her leg and bruises to her arm and Lennon took her phone. The victim also needed to go to the hospital, court documents reflect.

Prosecutors pointed out how Lennon is 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds and also has an order of protection out of Indiana from Oct. 28, 2025, involving a different person.

As for Lennon, his victim told the Illinois State Police, "that he takes steroids," prosecutors remarked. "She is moving out of the Minooka residence that she was staying at with the defendant."

In the end, Judge Meyers ruled that freedom, not incarceration, is what's best for Lennon.

She set his next hearing for Nov. 16 in Courtroom 405 and ordered him to have no further contact with the victim and he will be put on electronic monitoring. He was booked into Will County's Jail at 7:45 a.m. Saturday and let out at 1:21 p.m. on Sunday.

As for Judge Meyers, back in September 2023, Plainfield's Police Department posted the information announcement on its Facebook page: "We are overjoyed to congratulate Joan Meyers on her recent appointment as an Associate Judge for the 12th Judicial District. Joan served as Legal Counsel for the Village of Plainfield with distinction for 18 years, and we are confident she will continue to do so in her new role. During her time with the Village, Joan demonstrated her commitment to justice, fairness and integrity. In addition to her hard work and professionalism, her friendship will be missed tremendously."