A convicted felon wearing an ankle monitor on release for a gun offense was arrested after she admitted to burglarizing a house in Wauconda and cooking herself tacos in the kitchen.
The Wauconda Police Department responded on September 29 to multiple 911 calls from citizens regarding a woman, later identified as Gail Govednik, 36, of Aurora.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said officers first received a call around 6:30 p.m. for a report of a woman in maroon leggings matching this Govednik’s description with possible substance abuse issues in the parking lot of Renegade Fitness, 1120 North Route 12.
Officers responded and spoke to the caller who advised that the unknown female, later identified as Govednik, walked up to her car window approximately 30 minutes earlier and asked her to roll her window down.
Govednik then yelled at the woman and attempted to climb on top of the caller’s car hood before slamming her phone on the hood of the car, McConnell said.
Officers searched the area but were not able to locate Govednik. They received another call around 7:35 p.m. from a second person who reported there was an agitated woman, later identified as Govednik, at the intersection of Larkdale Row and Willow Road.
Officers responded and spoke with the caller who advised that they had been outside of their house speaking with neighbors when the woman, later determined to be Govednik, had approached them asking for a phone charger.
They did not give her a phone charger and Govednik left before returning and asking for a ride to Aurora, McConnell said. They also refused to give her a ride and she became agitated and left again.
Govednik came back a third time and called the neighbors “b–ches,” saying they needed to help people as she slammed her hands down on a vehicle before leaving and walking southbound on Larkdale Row, McConnell said.
Officers searched the area and approximately 30 minutes later located Govednik lying down in between the sidewalk and the street on Willow Road.
Officers observed Govednik, who was wearing an ankle monitor, to be intoxicated. She identified herself and told them that she was on pre-trial release for a criminal case in Will County.
She had two beer bottles in her bag, an open cup of alcohol and a bottle of alcohol on the ground where she was lying down, McConnell said.
Govednik told officers she had been kicked out of a car she was in with her friends and she was trying to get back to Aurora.
Officers helped arrange a ride for Govednik and brought her to the McDonald’s nearby to wait for the ride, McConnell said.
Dispatch soon received a 911 call from a resident reporting that someone had broken into his house and caused mayhem inside.
McConnell said the victim’s home was located very close to where Govednik was found lying on the ground previously.
Officers detained Govednik and other officers responded to the victim’s residence.
He told officers he lives alone and has a daughter away at college. He had left for work that morning and shut his gate.
The resident returned home from work around 8 p.m. and noticed his gate was open and his back door was propped ajar, McConnell said.
He entered the house and noticed food and garbage thrown all over his house, especially in the kitchen.
Officers also saw women’s clothing strewn about the lawn from the victim’s house to where they located Govednik lying on the ground. The clothing was too small to be Govednik’s, McConnell said.
Govednik admitted to breaking into the home with the intention of committing a theft. She said she cooked herself three tacos in the home, McConnell said.
She was charged with one count of residential burglary, a Class 1 felony. Officers believe Govednik may have broken into other homes.
She is currently on pre-trial release in Will County in a case where she was charged with felon in possession of a weapon second offense, felon in possession of a weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Govednik has multiple prior felony convictions, including one from 2021 for burglary.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Govednik pending trial, arguing she poses a danger to the community. The petition was granted by Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim during a detention hearing.
“Her inability to abide by Court orders is particularly concerning based on her criminal history that is indicative of access to weapons and violence including convictions for battery amended from aggravated battery, battery bodily harm, and domestic battery,” McConnell said.
“It is clear thus that no condition or combination of conditions would be followed that would mitigate the threat her release would pose to society,” McConnell added.
Govednik is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday for an arraignment hearing.