A 25-year-old man has been charged after he allegedly strangled his girlfriend, who then stabbed him in apparent self-defense during an incident in Harvard, prosecutors said.
The Harvard Police Department responded at 1:24 a.m. on January 1 to the 200 block of South Jefferson Street in Harvard for a 911 hang-up call.
Harvard Deputy Police Chief Tyson Bauman said dispatchers received a report of an unknown injury where a person was bleeding.
Officers arrived and found a man, identified as Juan Esquivel, inside a residence with a severe laceration to his leg.
Officers provided immediate life-saving medical care until medics with the Harvard Fire Protection District arrived to take over, Bauman said.
Esquivel was transported to an area hospital and his condition was stabilized, Bauman said.
Prosecutors said in a motion that Esquivel was intoxicated when he strangled his girlfriend.
The woman was “forced to stab” Esquivel in the leg to get him to remove his hands from her throat, prosecutors said.
Esquivel, 25, of the 200 block of South Jefferson Street in Harvard, was charged with aggravated domestic battery and two counts of domestic battery.
He was arrested last Wednesday and transported to the McHenry County Jail where he posted bond and was released.
On January 9, officials with Mercyhealth presented an award to Harvard Police Officer Demink, Officer Tobias, Harvard Fire Protection District Paramedic Thompson, Firefighter/EMT Barnett and Firefighter/EMT Harter for their life-saving actions for saving Esquivel.
Prosecutors said that Esquivel pleaded guilty in September to aggravated domestic battery in a McHenry County case where he was intoxicated and strangled his girlfriend.
He received 18 months of probation and was ordered to participate in a partner abuse intervention program.
Prosecutors have now revoked his probation for that case following his newest domestic battery case.