
A convicted felon on pre-trial release in a knife attack that left a victim injured has been arrested again after he allegedly possessed a loaded gun in separate incidents in McHenry County.
Colton M. Howell, 26, of Woodstock, was charged last month with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and two counts of aggravated battery in a public place.
The charges stem from an incident around 1:30 a.m. on November 24 at Casey’s gas station, 200 East Grant Highway in Marengo.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Howell held a knife to a man’s face.
Howell cut the victim on the nose with the knife, causing him to bleed from the right side of the nose, the complaint said.
The complaint also said Howell hit the victim during the incident.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Howell pending trial following his arrest that day.
Court records show McHenry County Judge Carl Metz denied the petition and released Howell from custody.
The judge ordered Howell not to leave the state without court permission, not possess any firearms, have no contact with the victim, obtain a psychological evaluation and not go to Casey’s.
Just over two weeks later, Howell was charged with felon in possession of a firearm and theft by unauthorized control on December 12.
A criminal complaint said Howell possessed a Ruger LCP .380 firearm around 12 p.m. on December 11 in Fox River Grove despite being a convicted felon.
The complaint said Howell stole the gun from a Fox River Grove man and that the gun was loaded. An arrest warrant was issued for Howell.
Howell was arrested by the Marengo Police Department on Thursday after he was charged in a third case with two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, resisting a peace officer and obstructing a peace officer.
A criminal complaint said Howell was in possession of the Ruger LCP gun, with ammunition, despite being a convicted felon.
The complaint said Howell also ran away from a police officer and refused his instructions to stop.
The state’s attorney’s office filed petitions to detain Howell in both of his new cases and a petition to revoke his pre-trial release in his first case.
Judge Metz granted the three petitions during a hearing on Thursday and remanded Howell to the McHenry County Jail pending trial.
In 2022, Howell was sentenced to two years in prison for a case where he was charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated assault of a peace officer, public indecency and resisting arrest causing injury.
Howell is set to appear in court again on January 17 for a preliminary hearing.