Angel Contreras Arrested, Spends Night In Will County's Jail

JOLIET, IL — A rising Joliet politician in the Will County Democrat Party, Angel Contreras, spent Father's Day in the Will County Jail after Joliet police arrested him early Sunday morning on two criminal charges. The 36-year-old Contreras, who now lives at 427 Buell Ave., was booked into the detention center at 4:44 a.m.

Joliet police arrested him on charges of driving on a suspended license, as well as aggravated driving under the influence/license suspended or revoked.

Contreras stayed inside the Will County Jail for 12 hours. He was set free at 4:15 p.m. on Father's Day after posting 10 percent of his $25,000 bail.

Joliet Patch has sent Contreras a message through his Facebook page seeking reaction to his latest arrest by the Joliet Police Department.

In the summer of 2018, Joliet Patch covered Contreras' criminal trial after he was accused of domestic violence against a woman he had previously dated for nine years. According to court records from that case, "Angel and I were arguing, he grabbed me and left significant bruising. He pinned me to the bed rails attempting to grab his cell phone from me. He did not get the phone. I had previous stitches and he broke one of the stitches open. I was bleeding.

"He showed up at my house at 2 a.m. drunk and trying to sweet talk me," court records noted. "He had parked his car halfway in the street, over the sidewalk and partly in the driveway. I went to move it. I found the secondary phone at this point and realized he was having a relationship with someone else for a year. I have been in a relationship with him for nine years."

At that trial's conclusion, Contreras was found not guilty of domestic battery.

"We charged the case in good faith and believe the laws support the prosecution of the case," Will County State's Attorney's Office spokesman Chuck Pelkie said after the verdict. "We will continue to put the safety of women above the rights of property, but we respect the judge's decision."

In December 2020, Patch reported that as a result of Joliet Township Democrat Party caucus vote, Contreras would be the Democrat candidate for Joliet Township supervisor, knocking long-time officeholder Dan Vera out of office.

"I am thankful that people came out and supported me and my slate," Contreras told Joliet Patch that night. "I'm just very happy and gratified to all the voters and supporters."

At the time, Contreras, then 34, served on the Joliet Township District 204 School Board and he was also chairman of the Joliet Housing Authority board of commissioners.

"I just wanted my opportunity to show I can be the head and manage a local government body from all the experience that I've been very privileged to be a part of," Contreras said.

According to the Joliet Township government website, Contreras is responsible for: administering the General Assistance program, serving as chairman of the Township Board of Trustees, serving as the Treasurer of all Township funds, working as the ex-officio Treasurer of the Township’s Road & Bridge funds; and making sure that Joliet Township’s public tax dollars are properly invested and spent according to state law.

Related Patch Coverage: Joliet Township Supervisor Drove Drunk On Revoked License: JPD