Top Fuel Saloon Calls Braidwood Police: Kentucky Man Faces 7 Charges

BRAIDWOOD, IL— A 48-year-old man from Kentucky has been released from the Will County Jail following Monday night's arrest by the Braidwood Police Department. A reportedly violent encounter at the Top Fuel Saloon resulted in seven criminal charges filed by the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow against David Frencl, who was passing through the area.

Prosecutors for Glasgow asked Judge Donald DeWilkins to keep Frencl in the jail, but the judge disagreed. The judge released the Kentucky man on his own recognizance and ordered Frencl to stay away from the victim.

The defendant, who hails from Calvert City, Kentucky, is now charged in Will County with three counts of aggravated battery, three counts of domestic battery and one count of assault.

According to the pretrial release petition from the prosecution, at 11:45 p.m., Braidwood police went to the Top Fuel Saloon for a domestic disturbance and the dispatchers alerted them that the couple was leaving in a white Dodge, and they were headed to the Sun Motel down the street at 140 South Hickory St.

Incidentally, the Sun Motel near Interstate 55 in Braidwood was filmed in the 1980s classic movie starring John Candy and Steve Martin, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles."

At the Sun Motel, Braidwood police found Frencl, and the victim appeared frightened to say anything, according to court records. When officers separated the woman from Frencl, she told Braidwood police that "he gets like this and just needs to go to anger management."

Earlier, on Monday night, the woman from Calvert City, Kentucky and Frencl were inside the Top Fuel Saloon and having a good time, enjoying drinks, according to court documents.

Then, officials allege, Frencl began to argue with her about things from her past. "David hit me," she told Braidwood police, pointing to her lip.

After hitting her in the mouth, Frencl dragged her out of Top Fuel Saloon, and she tried to resist being dragged out, according to prosecutors.

Her injuries were photographed by Braidwood police.

One of the bartenders told Braidwood police that Frencl, indeed, had punched the woman several times during their time in the bar. Within 30 seconds of another Top Fuel Saloon employee arriving on the scene to handle the situation, Frencl punched his victim in the face, according to court records.

When the male employee at Top Fuel Saloon intervened, Frencl told him to mind his own business, and that's when the employee vowed to call Braidwood police, prosecutors say. At that moment, Frencl grabbed his victim by her right arm and dragged her out of the Top Fuel Saloon.

Once he got into his car, Frencl drove at the Top Fuel Saloon employee, trying to run him over, according to court documents.

After reviewing the evidence, Judge DeWilkins determined that the Calvert City, Kentucky defendant should not be kept in the Will County Jail anymore. Frencl's next court hearing is set for May 1 in Courtroom 405, and he must stay from the victim and her address in Kentucky "until further order of the court."