A man has been sentenced to eight years in prison — but will only serve four — for beating and injuring a woman in a brutal attack during a home invasion in Lake in the Hills last summer.
Deon Duff, 43, of the 100 block of South 20th Avenue in Maywood, was indicted on charges of home invasion causing injury, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated fleeing police, two counts of domestic battery and two counts of criminal trespass.
A bench trial was held in February before McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge.
Coppedge found Duff guilty of home invasion, criminal trespass to residence and aggravated fleeing to elude a peace officer. His other charges were dismissed.
Evidence at the trial showed that Duff found the victim at a residence in the 1300 block of Cunat Court in Lake in the Hills on June 26, according to the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Duff struck the woman outside of the residence and dragged her into the home by her hair, prosecutors said.
The woman retreated to a bedroom where Duff followed and repeatedly struck the victim causing multiple injuries, prosecutors added.
Duff fled the scene in a black Audi, in which a police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on.
Duff refused to stop and increased speed as he fled the area, traveling 55 mph in a 25 mph zone and failing to stop at a stop sign near Oak Street and Crystal Lake Road.
He also allegedly blew the stop sign at Crystal Lake Road and Acorn Lane and passed cars in a no-passing zone as police pursued him, according to a criminal complaint.
An arrest warrant was issued for Duff on July 24 and he was taken into custody by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office in October.
Duff, who faced six to 30 years in prison, was sentenced by Coppedge on Friday to eight years in prison.
He will only serve 50% of the sentence in accordance with truth-in-sentencing guidelines and due to credit for time served in the county jail.