Joliet Cancer Victim's Growth Squeezed On Purpose During Beating Inflicted Upon Him: Prosecutors

Judge Chrystel Gavlin rejected arguments from Will County State's Attorney's Office seeking to keep Catherine Van Driska in the county jail.

By John Ferak, Patch Staff

Sep 16, 2026 12:29 PM CDT

This is not the first time 67-year-old Joliet resident Catherine Van Driska has been put in the Will County Jail. They also booked her in the summer of 2020. (Mugshot via Will County Jail)

JOLIET, IL — A 67-year-old Joliet woman has been returned to the community after Will County Judge Chrystel Gavlin turned down arguments from the Will County State's Attorney's Office seeking to deny pretrial release for the defendant accused of inflicting a savage beating upon a member of her own household or family member late last week.

Prosecutors have charged Catherine Van Driska with four crimes of domestic battery and her criminal complaint indicates she squeezed a cancerous growth on her victim's neck, a cancerous growth on his body, that she struck him across his body and kicked his body. This all happened inside of their house in the 600 block of Blackhawk Street.

The Will County Sheriff's Office made the arrest because Van Driska resides outside the city of Joliet limits.

According to the prosecutors, "defendant is intoxicated and tells officers victim is 'an asshole' multiple times but will not tell them why. Defendant admits to officers that she hit him wherever she could on his body. As well, she stated victim has cancer and a growth on the left side of his neck which she squeezed.

"Defendant also told officers she is tired of him complaining that he is in pain so they got into a fight. Upon speaking with the victim, he stated defendant was kicking and punching him for approximately two hours and that she kept telling him she wanted him dead. Officers observed the bed victim was lying in to have blood on the pillow where the left side of his neck was," court files show.

Prosecutors said the victim's growth was cut up and bleeding, his right foot also had dried blood on it.

In the end, Judge Gavlin ordered Van Driska's release under the SAFE-T-Act even though this is a detainable offense. The judge instead ordered Van Driskta to go on electronic monitoring, she must stay away from her victim and stay away from their house on Blackhawk Street, the judge's order noted.

Van Driska will have her next hearing at the Will County Courthouse in Courtroom 801 on Oct. 14.