Long-time Joliet Criminal Chases Roommate With Wooden Stick, Hits Woman In Eye With Lighter: Prosecutors

JOLIET, IL — The Will County State's Attorney's Office has filed two counts of domestic battery against 57-year-old Joliet resident Dustin Megrant, who was arrested last week by the Joliet Police Department. Will County Judge Chrystel Gavlin has ordered Megrant to remain in the Will County Jail. Megrant's criminal history in Will County is quite extensive.

"The defendant is currently on pretrial release under Will County case number 2025 CF 1559," prosecutors revealed as part of their petition to deny pretrial release for Megrant.

The criminal complaint alleges that Megrant struck a 37-year-old woman in the head after having previously been convicted of violating an order of protection back in 2016.

According to the petition to deny pretrial release, at 1:52 a.m. Jan. 8, Joliet police responded to a west side house in the 1400 block of Clara Avenue for a domestic dispute. The woman informed officers that on Jan. 7, Megrant threw a lighter at her face, and it struck in the top right eyelid, causing it to swell and become black and blue. The woman indicated she lives in the basement with Megrant and that their male roommate witnessed the abuse.

Joliet's officers observed swelling and bruising to the victim's right eyelid. However, the victim ultimately became uncooperative when asked about the altercation in the morning, prosecutors said. As for the male roommate, he stated he was in his room and could hear them arguing in the basement.

Prosecutors said the woman ran into the roommate's room to get away from Megrant, who was carrying a wooden stick. The male roommate said he locked the door and Megrant broke through the door and began swinging the wooden stick, trying to strike the male roommate, court files show.

The male roommate told Joliet police he took the stick and did not want to pursue charges against Megrant. According to prosecutors, he said he was in the living room and saw Megrant throw a lighter at the woman at approximately 8 a.m. and that "Megrant threw the lighter on purpose."

Megrant, on the other hand, told Joliet police that the male roommate "walked out of the bedroom with a pipe so he grabbed an extension cord to use. Megrant indicated he had thrown a lighter striking (the woman) and stated it was an accident," prosecutors noted.

The following spreadsheet was submitted by the Will County State's Attorney. It contains all of Megrant's prior criminal cases here in Will County. It's long.