A Grayslake man who allegedly attacked and stabbed his girlfriend was tracked down by a Lake County sheriff’s canine after he escaped police custody at a hospital in Libertyville.
Mark Mortensen, 42, of the 33600 block of North Evergreen Drive in unincorporated Grayslake, was charged with three counts of aggravated domestic battery, escape and resisting a peace officer.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded on August 21 to the 33600 block of North Evergreen Drive in unincorporated Grayslake for a report of a domestic dispute.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jason Humke said during a Saturday bond hearing that Mortensen’s girlfriend gave the man money for Xanax, but then changed her mind and the two started arguing.
Mortensen allegedly threw his girlfriend to the ground and then pushed her into a wall in the bathroom of the residence.
The woman fell into a bathtub and Mortensen stomped on the victim’s head, Humke said.
Mortensen grabbed a knife and allegedly stabbed the woman in the forearm. The victim was taken to the hospital.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Christopher Covelli said that sheriff’s deputies searched for Mortensen but he had fled the scene.
Covelli said that Mortensen was at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville on Friday being treated for an unrelated medical matter.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the hospital after learning he was about to be released.
While deputies were waiting for the man to be discharged, he ran from them and fled the hospital, Humke said.
Lake County sheriff canine Duke was deployed. Duke bit Mortensen and successfully apprehended him, Covelli said.
Mortensen was transported back to the hospital for treatment of the dog bite. He was released from the hospital and transported to the Lake County Jail.
Lake County Judge Michael Betar ordered the man held on a $75,000 bond, meaning he would need to post $7,500 to be released.