'When Raul Was Choking Her, He Was Taunting, Laughing At Her:' Prosecutors

WILMINGTON, IL — The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow had another strong week in cases against area people accused of violent crimes. Wilmington 37-year-old Raul Martinez lost his pretrial detention hearing in front of Will County Judge Don DeWilkins. Prosecutors have charged Martinez with one aggravated domestic battery, three counts of aggravated battery and five crimes of domestic battery.

Wilmington Police responded last weekend to arrest Martinez following allegations he tried to strangle the pregnant woman he lives with in the 300 block of South Main Street.

Subscribe

According to the prosecution's filing, at 12:40 p.m. on Saturday, Officer Bailey was dispatched to the house for a welfare check. The caller was a friend of the residents and she indicated that Martinez and the victim had an argument and the victim asked the friend to call for Wilmington police.

At the scene, Wilmington police found an 8-year-old boy with tears in his eyes, and there was an upset 5-year-old little girl in the living room as well. The victim told the police that " her fiancé Raul was yelling at her and arguing with her over their son playing video games. Raul woke up in a bad mood and had been upset all day," court files allege. "Raul followed her and yelled at her and followed her again back into the living room. Raul grabbed both of her arms and squeezed and began to shake her."

After Martinez let go of the woman's arms, he grabbed her by her throat with his right hand, prosecutors asserted.

"When asked how much pressure she felt from 1-10 she advised it was about a 4," court files show. She "did not lose consciousness while being choked and believed it lasted between 5-10 seconds. (She) advised while she was being choked, she was worried about the baby due to her being 35 weeks pregnant ... when Raul was choking her, he was taunting/ laughing at her."

After letting the woman go, Martinez turned his attention to one of the little children, officials allege. He grabbed the hood of the boy's shirt and yanked it, causing the boy "to fly back due to the force," the prosecution's filing indicated.

As for the strangling victim, "she was transported to the hospital due to concerningly high blood pressure and her pregnancy ... Raul has gotten in her face in the past, but nothing has been physical before. (She) advised Raul has been working a lot and she doesn't work anymore due to pregnancy," the court documents stated.

Now that Judge DeWilkins has imposed the dangerousness standard to keep Martinez locked away from the community, Martinez will stay in his Will County jail cell indefinitely. The sheriff's courthouse security deputies will transport Martinez back to the courthouse on Aug. 17 in Courtroom 405.