Woman Choked During Sex, Joliet Man Denied Pre-Trial Release: JPD

JOLIET, IL — A 42-year-old Joliet man is now in the Will County Jail for an indefinite period of time in connection with last week's arrest on charges of aggravated domestic battery and two counts of domestic battery.

The Will County State's Attorney's Office accuses Heracheal Coopwood of choking a woman during their sexual relations and "she advised that she did not want to be choked and that the choking was not consensual," the petition to deny pretrial release noted.

According to the petition from Assistant State's Attorney Sarah West:

Joliet police were called to the station's front desk and a 34-year-old woman told them that Coopwood was at her house, in her bedroom, on Jan. 30. An argument broke out and Coopwood slapped her across the face and "this was captured on video because (the woman) had cameras."

Then, on Feb. 2, at 3 a.m., she and Coopwood were having oral sex, "however, defendant wanted to have intercourse" and she said no, according to prosecutors.

Coopwood "then became irritated by this and began to choke her by placing his hands around her throat," the prosecution informed Will County Judge John Connor. "Defendant stopped choking her once he heard her gasping for air."

Although officers did not find visible injuries to her body, the victim provided Joliet police with two videos from cameras that she has set up throughout her home.

Joliet police watched the Jan. 30 incident where Coopwood hit the woman in the face and the Feb. 2 bedroom incident where Coopwood choked her, court records reflect.

The woman also told officers that she and Coopwood had four prior physical altercations.

Judge Connor ruled that Coopwood met the dangerous standard under the new SAFE-T-Act and that Coopwood would remain in confinement at the Will County Jail pending his trial date.

His next hearing was set for Feb. 20 in Courtroom 405 of Judge Dave Carlson.