Cops: Hoffman Estates man tried to kidnap woman

A Hoffman Estates man has been accused of threatening an ex-girlfriend with a pellet gun and attempting to kidnap her by dragging her out of her vehicle by the hair, Carpentersville police said Friday.

Police were called Wednesday to the 0 to 100 block of Austin Avenue for a report of a man with a gun.

Officers discovered José M. Cardenas, 22, of the 1800 block of Huntington Boulevard, had gone to his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend's house with a replica AR-15 pellet gun and had waited for her to come home, police said.

When she drove up, Cardenas put on a ski mask, jumped out of his car and confronted her with the gun, police said. He ordered the woman out of her vehicle and when she refused, he pulled her out by dragging her by the hair and putting her in a choke hold.

The woman fought back and eventually pulled his mask off, but Cardenas still tried to push her into the back seat of his vehicle, police said.

That's when officers arrived on the scene.

“He had released her at that point when he saw the police pull up,” Cmdr. Timothy Bosshart said.

Officers later learned Cardenas had an outstanding order of protection against him in Cook County that barred him from contacting the woman, Bosshart said.

Cardenas was charged with attempted kidnapping, unlawful restraint, aggravated battery and violation of an order of protection.

He was being held without bond until Kane County completes a psychological evaluation, court documents show.

His next court date is March 26.