Joliet Strangling Defendant Freed By Will Co. Judge, 'Lack Of History' Cited In SAFE-T-Act Ruling

JOLIET, IL — James John Savino, a 20-year-old Joliet man accused of trying to strangle an 18-year-old woman, kicking her, dragging her, choking her and damaging her car last weekend, was turned loose from the Will County Jail on Tuesday afternoon. This week's decision to release Savino came after Will County Associate Judge John Pavich — who is running as a Democrat for Illinois Appellate Court justice in the March 17 primary —rejected the Will County State's Attorney's Office petition urging Pavich to keep Savino in the jail under the Illinois SAFE-T-Act.

Judge Pavich checked the box on court records stating, "the defendant is charged with a detention-eligible offense/circumstance," but following the detention hearing, the court denied the state's petition to detain for the following reasons: "Lack of history."

According to his criminal complaint, Savino is charged with aggravated domestic battery, five counts of domestic battery and one count of criminal damage to property.

The Will County Sheriff's Office complaint indicates that on Feb. 21, Savino caused bodily harm to the young woman in that "said defendant strangled" her.

The domestic battery charges allege that Savino pushed the woman about the body, dragged her to the ground, kicked her about the body, grabbed her about the body and struck her about the body.

The criminal damage to property charge states Savino damaged his victim's car headlight, and his damage did not exceed $500.

According to the prosecution's unsuccessful petition to deny Savino pretrial release, last Saturday afternoon, at 2:28 p.m., Will County Sheriff's Deputy Davis was sent to Savino's house in the 2400 block of Flower Street in Joliet.

The 18-year-old victim made a delayed report, informing sheriff's deputies that around 1 a.m., while driving to Savino's house with him, "they began arguing because he found out she was talking to another person while they were broken up," court files show.

The victim told sheriff's deputies that Savino was intoxicated from the night out, and when they arrived at his house, she went inside where Savino's mother was so the mother could help because Savino's behavior was escalating and aggressive, court documents indicate.

When Savino's mother told the 18-year-old woman to leave, "James began to drag her outside by her clothing, pushed her to the ground and began kicking her in the face," court files allege. "(She) believes he kicked her two or three times. James then picked her up by her clothing and dragged her to her car so she could drive him to a nearby gas station. At some point, James 'choked' her with his hands, and it became difficult for her to breathe. While at the gas station, James got out of her vehicle, and kicked the vehicle's headlight, causing the plastic to smash."

Prosecutors informed Judge Pavich that the victim later told Savino they needed to go back to his house to get her phone; when she got there, she and Savino's mother locked him outside while she called her own mother. The victim's mother arrived at Savino's house on Flower Street and Savino allowed them both to leave without any more issues, court records show.

The victim "did not call police at the time of the incident because she just wanted to get home," Will County's prosecutors told Judge Pavich. "(She) stated this is not the first time James has become physical with her and stated on Tuesday or Wednesday while she was driving, he punched her in the right side of her face."

Sheriff's deputies noted that the 18-year-old woman had one older bruise, yellow in color, near her right temple. She also had fresh bruises, purple and blue in color, on the left and right sides of her face in the cheekbone area, markings on her neck and a fresh bruise on her left upper arm that she believed happened when Savino grabbed her, court documents reflect.

According to prosecutors, Will County Sheriff's deputies Davis and Ditello returned to the Savino house on Flower Street last Sunday, Feb. 22. There, Savino's mother told them she did not witness a lot because there was a lot of back and forth from inside the house to the outside.

As for her son, Savino told the deputies he and the 18-year-old young woman had an argument on the way to his house, and when they arrived, he told her to leave and pushed her out of the residence, court documents indicate.

Deputies asked if Savino punched or kicked her, and "James advised most of the night is foggy and difficult to remember," prosecutors outlined.

In releasing Savino from custody, Judge Pavich informed him to be back at the courthouse on March 12 for a 9 a.m. pretrial hearing in Courtroom 405. The judge ordered Savino to stay away from the 18-year-old victim and her house in Joliet on Grass Lake Drive "until further order of the court." The judge imposed electronic monitoring for Savino "until further order."

According to his political campaign website, "On the Illinois Appellate Court, Judge John Pavich will work tirelessly to protect our rights, many of which are under threat from the federal government. The Illinois Constitution protects a woman's right to make decisions about her own body, the right to love who you love, and even the fundamental right to due process in our legal system. That is what's at stake here. Good judges are increasingly becoming our last defense of these rights and the rule of law itself. Please vote Democrat Judge John Pavich for the Illinois Appellate Court - 3rd District on March 17, 2026!"