Man allegedly beat estranged wife with bat

Divorces can stir very intense emotions in one or both spouses. In some cases, one spouse will let intense anger spill over into one or more acts of violence. A funeral home director from Belleville was recently charged with using a baseball bat to assault and threaten his estranged wife in her home.

According to police, the suspect broke into a house in St. Clair County and attacked his 62-year-old wife with an aluminum baseball bat. The woman filed a statement in St. Clair County Court in which she accused the man of hitting her multiple times with the bat and pushing her down a staircase. She further accused him of trying to throttle her by placing the bat across her throat. While holding her down, the man allegedly told the woman to vacate the house within three weeks and to drop the divorce proceeding in favor of an out-of-court settlement.

The woman told police that she escaped to her sister’s house and was taken to a nearby hospital. From the hospital, the woman notified police of the alleged assault. The St. Clair County District Court immediately issued a restraining order directing the husband to avoid contact with his wife at both work and home. The man was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and two counts of domestic battery. He was released from custody after posting a $30,000 bond.

The man’s motivation for demanding that his wife abandon the divorce proceeding was not disclosed. Now, unfortunately, he will be subject to two formal court proceedings. Anyone in similar circumstances may benefit from a consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney. A knowledgeable lawyer can provide advice on how the facts and law will affect the case and assist in devising an effective defense strategy.

Source: Belleville News-Democrat, “Belleville funeral home director charged with beating estranged wife with bat,” Elizabeth Donald, April 16, 2018