LITH man charged with hitting pregnant girlfriend

A Lake in the Hills man is being held in McHenry County jail on $50,000 bond after he was arrested early Monday morning and charged with several felonies alleging he held a knife to his girlfriend’s throat and hitting her in the ribs, police said.

Victor A. Bratz, 39, of the 2300 block of Wexford Lane, was charged with aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, criminal trespass to motor vehicle, aggravated battery to a police officer, aggravated assault, unlawful interference with the reporting of domestic battery, aggravated DUI, driving with a revoked license, resisting a police officer, aggravated fleeing and eluding, and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, Lake in the Hills Sgt. Eric Decker said.

Bratz’s 39-year-old girlfriend, who lives with him, had no injuries and did not want to be taken to the hospital, Decker said.

Police were called to the house at about 1 a.m. Monday by the girlfriend, who reported that Bratz had taken her car without her permission, Decker said.

On their way, police saw Bratz driving the vehicle at least 57 mph in a residential area with a 25 mph speed limit, Decker said. Police turned on their lights but Katz didn’t stop, and police decided to abandon pursuit and respond to the initial call, Decker said.

“Our main concern was her safety, and not engage in a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood,” Decker said. “The end has to justify the means, and in this particular case it did not.”

At the house, the girlfriend told police she had an altercation with Bratz, and he prevented her from calling 911 by restraining her and holding a knife to her throat, Decker said. He also hit her in the ribs, he said.

While the officers were at the house, Bratz came home through the garage door apparently intoxicated, and police arrested him.

Bratz is due in McHenry County Circuit Court at 9 a.m. June 16.