A Lake Villa woman was arrested after she allegedly used a large sword to slice a man’s hand, causing a severe laceration during an argument near Lake Villa, prosecutors said.
Francine T. Casarez, 48, of Lake Villa, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded on October 9 to the 21700 block of 2nd Street in unincorporated Lake Villa for a domestic dispute.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said deputies learned Casarez and her boyfriend were involved in a verbal argument earlier in the day.
The man left the residence and returned later where the argument continued.
Both of them were near a car and Casarez removed a large cane sword from the vehicle, Katris said.
Katris said Casarez unsheathed the sword from the cane and swung it at her boyfriend, striking his hand.
The victim suffered a laceration from his ring finger to the wrist.
Katris said Casarez briefly paused and realized what she did but continued swinging the sword at the victim.
Deputies found the man was bleeding so badly that it soaked through all of the bandages and was bleeding on the floor, Katris said.
The man was transported to a local hospital and staff found the laceration was nearly to the bone of his hand and would likely require surgery.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Casarez, calling her a real and present threat to the safety of the victim.
A public defender for Casarez said the alleged victim had been “out of control” after not sleeping for two days due to being on cocaine.
The attorney claimed the alleged victim was injured after there was a struggle for the sword and that Casarez did not swing it at him.
Katris disputed the claim that the victim grabbed the sword. He said the victim’s injury occurred on the top of his hand, not on his palm.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak denied the petition to detain Casarez and allowed her to be released from the Lake County Jail.
The judge ordered Casarez to abstain from alcohol and drugs and have no contact with the victim.