Throat Slasher Gets Prison Time For Girlfriend Attack

An Elgin man pleaded guilty Wednesday to slashing his girlfriend’s throat in a 2017 domestic incident at the apartment they shared. As part of a plea deal, John C. Hawkins, 23, entered a guilty plea to one count of armed violence, a Class X felony, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors said the attack occurred after Hawkins, who was armed with a steak knife with a three-inch blade, followed the victim into the bathroom of their apartment at about 2 a.m. on April 9, 2017, according to a news release from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office.

The two got into an argument, and Hawkins grabbed the woman by the neck and slashed her throat with the knife, creating a deep wound that was within one-quarter inch of the victim's carotid artery, according to prosecutors.

The victim fell to the floor and Hawkins kicked her and then fled the apartment through the window, according to the news release. Hawkins, of the 900 block of Bellevue Avenue in Elgin, was on probation for a drug offense at the time of the attack.

Hawkins is required under state law to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. He received credit for 368 days served in the Kane County jail, where he had been held on a $2 million bail since his arrest.

“This was a vicious, cowardly and nearly deadly domestic attack. Mr. Hawkins is a violent repeat offender who belongs in prison,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said.

Photo via the Kane County State's Attorney's Office