Firefighter accused of punching woman at party

A Carpentersville firefighter faces misdemeanor battery charges after punching a woman in the face early Sunday morning, police say.

The disagreement broke out at a Christmas party in a garage on Townhall Road in an unincorporated area near St. Charles, Kane County Lt. Patrick Gengler said. Witnesses said Jason S. Elders, 39, of St. Charles struck the woman repeatedly, Gengler said.

“At some point, he was on top of her punching her in the face,” Gengler said. “It doesn’t appear that there was some sort of prior relationship, or that (charge) would be domestic battery.”

The 37-year-old woman, of Galena, was taken to a nearby hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries.

Carpentersville fire officials were unavailable for comment.