A convicted felon was arrested and found with guns after authorities say he strangled another man before holding a gun to the victim’s head in Wauconda.
The Wauconda Police Department responded around 1 a.m. Wednesday to the 100 block of South Maple Avenue in Wauconda for a report of a battery.
The victim identified the known suspect as Brandon A. Hasenbuhler, 25, of Island Lake.
Police officials said the victim told officers that Hasenbuhler put him in a headlock and held a gun to his head.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said the attack occurred after the victim witnessed Hasenbuhler throw his sister to the ground.
Hasenbuhler attacked the victim after he told Hasenbuhler to not touch his sister, Katris said.
During the incident, the victim said Hasenbuhler tried snapping his neck while he strangled him in the headlock position.
Hasenbuhler fled the area prior to the officers’ arrival.
The Island Lake Police Department assisted in locating Hasenbuhler inside his vehicle at his residence. He was taken into custody without incident.
Officers seized cocaine, cannabis and other controlled substances from Hasenbuhler’s vehicle.
No guns were found in the vehicle but further investigation led officers to a storage unit in Lakemoor where Hasenbuhler, who is a convicted felon, allegedly hid the firearm used in the incident, police officials said.
Police obtained a search warrant for Hasenbuhler’s storage unit at Lake Side Storage, 914 Route 120 in Lakemoor.
Officers found two handguns, a Ruger LCP .380 and a Glock 36, which had a defaced serial number.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office initially only approved charges of aggravated battery by strangulation and possession of 10-30 grams of cannabis at the time of Hasenbuhler’s arrest because the guns had not been located yet.
Hasenbuhler appeared in court and was released from custody Wednesday because the charges are non-detainable under the SAFE-T Act, Katris said.
Following the search warrant, Hasenbuhler was additionally charged with felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a defaced firearm.
He was arrested again and transported to Lake County Circuit Court Thursday where he appeared for a first appearance hearing.
Prosecutors filed a petition to detain Hasenbuhler on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak on Friday granted the petition and ordered Hasenbuhler held in the Lake County Jail pending trial.