Man charged with beating woman, then damaging 2 police cars in chase

A man has been charged with hitting a woman dozens of times with a belt and then striking two police squad cars during an attempt to escape officers.

Bail was set Thursday at $200,000 for Reginald Hubbert, 40, of Merrillville, Indiana. He is charged with domestic battery and aggravated fleeing and eluding.

Authorities say that around 10:55 a.m. Wednesday, West Chicago police were called by a woman at a Speedway gas station at Roosevelt Road and Washington Street. She said that while at her home, she and Hubbert, her boyfriend, began arguing. She said Hubbert hit her about 100 times with a belt over several hours and would not let her leave. She sustained bruises on her face, torso, chest, arms and shoulders, according to court records.

Hubbert drove off from the gas station when officers tried to speak to him, ignored commands to pull over, and at times drove 70 mph in a 35 mph zone, police allege. Authorities say he hit one West Chicago police car and one from Warrenville before stopping on I-88.

Hubbert would need to post $20,000 to be freed pretrial and wear a GPS tracker.

Court records indicate Hubbert pleaded guilty in 2019 to violating an order of protection that required him to stay away from the same woman. He has a 2017 conviction for domestic battery involving the same woman.