'Don't Hurt Me:' Joliet Strangling Victim Pleads, Defendant Regains Freedom From Will County Judge

JOLIET, IL — A 51-year-old man who lists addresses in both Wilmington and on Joliet's east side has regained his freedom from Will County Judge Derek Ewanic after being kept in the Will County Jail on charges of aggravated domestic battery and domestic battery. The Will County Sheriff's Office took Ramon Del Angel into custody last weekend, and the criminal complaint indicates he tried to strangle a woman and he struck her in the face with a closed fist.

The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow urged Judge Ewanic to keep Del Angel detained under the SAFE-T-Act, but the judge ultimately disagreed, after hearing the prosecution's evidence. Del Angel spent two days in the county jail before regaining his freedom around dinner time on Dec. 22.

According to the prosecution's filing, Will County Sheriff's deputies responded to an apartment house in the 1100 block of East Jackson Street on Dec. 21 for a domestic.

The sheriff's deputies heard yelling coming from the second-floor apartment. Meanwhile, another apartment dweller called 911 advising dispatchers she was afraid for the victim's life. Deputies knocked on the door and heard a female yell, "Don't hurt me," court records show.

Moments later, Sheriff's Deputy Baker used force to gain entry into the apartment. The victim advised the deputy that Del Angel "placed his hands around her neck and she was unable to breathe. She also related that he punched her in the nose," prosecutors informed Judge Ewanic.

"This was not the first physical altercation they have been in, and she feared for her life, so she never reported it. She related that they were out drinking and when they got home, they started arguing about their relationship. That is when the defendant got physical," prosecutors stated.

Sheriff's deputies found redness around the victim's neck, nose and right jaw area. "The victim stated multiple times that she feared for her life since the police got involved," court records show.

This week, Judge Ewanic ordered the 51-year-old Joliet defendant's release from the Will County Jail, and he placed Del Angel on GPS monitoring. The defendant was ordered to stay away from his female victim and a rural Wilmington address on South Symerton Road.

Joliet Patch discovered that Del Angel also faces a DUI charge stemming from his Joliet police arrest in August.

At 2:41 a.m. on Aug. 8, along westbound Black Road north of Midland Avenue, a Joliet police officer spotted a red-colored 1995 Harley-Davidson motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed and the motorcycle could not maintain its lane; the motorcycle was dropped the traffic stop was made.

"Strong odor of an alcoholic beverage from driver along with balance issues. SFST's were refused," the Joliet police report indicated. At the time of his August DUI arrest, Joliet police listed Del Angel's address as the 600 block of East Street in Wilmington.