Joliet Man 'Has A Drinking Problem,' Punches Woman In Chest: Victim

JOLIET, IL — Edward Garbauski, a 61-year-old Joliet man who stays at the Motel 6 on McDonough Street, is now lodged in Will County's Jail for the foreseeable future after Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins ruled against Garbauski's pretrial release. Last weekend, Joliet police took the Motel 6 resident away in handcuffs, following Garbauski's latest domestic battery arrest.

The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow convinced the judge to keep Garbauski locked away from society as he awaits trial.

Judge DeWilkins ruled that Garbauski met the dangerous standard outlined under the SAFE-T-Act.

According to the prosecution's court filing:

On Sunday, at 12:47 a.m., Joliet police were called to the Motel 6 at 1850 McDonough for a domestic violence attack and the victim told officers that Garbauski returned to their motel room under the influence of alcohol. She and Garbauski got into a heated argument and Garbauski swung his arm and hit her in the chest with his fist, prosecutors outlined.

The woman told officers that Garbauski "has a drinking problem and that she was experiencing pain in her chest from (the) defendant punching her," court files show.

The victim's sister was also inside the motel room, and she told Joliet police that she saw Garbauski commit the attack. The victim filled out the police's domestic violence victim statement "in which she indicated defendant has physically abused her on 18 prior occasions," prosecutors informed Judge DeWilkins.

Garbauski is already on a probation for a 2023 felony domestic battery crime also in Will County.

According to prosecutors, Garbauski's "criminal history tends to indicate a violent, abusive or assaultive nature. Specifically, defendant has three previous dispositions for domestic battery involving this same victim."

In 2023, Joliet police also booked Garbauski into the Will County Jail, where he remained from Oct. 2 until Nov. 1, jail logs show.