Officers respond to a man accused of attacking his wife before resisting arrest when police forced entry to their residence in the 2400 block of Wembley Court in Gurnee early Saturday morning. | Photo: Woo-Sung Shim / Lake and McHenry County Scanner

A large police response was sent to a residence in Gurnee early Saturday morning after a woman was attacked by her husband, who was armed with a knife, officials said.

The Gurnee Police Department responded around 12:20 a.m. Saturday to the 2400 Wembley Court for a report of a domestic disturbance.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Emma Smoler said the victim and suspect are married.

The victim reported she needed help after her husband Robert E. Derham, 79, of Gurnee, was waving a knife around.

Officers arrived to find the front door opening and closing, Smoler said. They learned the victim was trying to open the door but Derham kept closing on her.

Officers respond to a man accused of attacking his wife before resisting arrest when police forced entry to their residence in the 2400 block of Wembley Court in Gurnee early Saturday morning. | Photo: Woo-Sung Shim / Lake and McHenry County Scanner

At one point, officers witnessed Derham push the victim to the ground and drag her across the floor, Smoler said.

Derham shut the door and officers forced entry to aid the woman.

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Smoler said Derham began resisting arrest and was eventually taken into custody.

The victim told officers the incident began because Derham was intoxicated.

He struck her on both sides of the head with a cane before pulling out a pocket knife and holding it next to her face, Smoler said.

Paramedics respond to a residence in the 2400 Wembley Court in Gurnee early Saturday morning to evaluate a woman who was the victim of a domestic battery incident. | Photo: Woo-Sung Shim / Lake and McHenry County Scanner

The female victim, who had minor injuries, was evaluated by paramedics at the scene but declined transport to the hospital.

Nearly the entire on-duty shift of the Gurnee Police Department responded to the scene.

Officers were also seen arresting a second male subject at the scene but details of his arrest were not immediately known.

Derham was charged with two counts of domestic battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting a peace officer.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Derham, calling him a danger to the victim.

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Lake County Judge Ari Fisz ordered Derham held in the Lake County Jail pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for Monday afternoon.