Woodstock man faces attempted murder charge after attack at a gas station

A Woodstock man is facing charges after authorities say he “maliciously attacked” a woman in a gas station and intended to kill her.

Austin Silverman, 29, of Woodstock, is charged with attempted murder, a Class X felony, as well as aggravated battery in a public place and criminal damage to property, according to the criminal complaint.

Police responded at 10:16 a.m. Dec. 31 to the Shell gas station on the 100 block of North Eastwood Drive where they found a man they identified as Silverman. Authorities said he had punched the woman multiple times in the head and face, kicked her, threw her into a wall and “bashed the victim’s head into the wall numerous times followed by an array of attacks with a wooden club.”

According to the complaint, Silverman then pressed “the wooden club against the victim’s neck and continued to strike (her) in the head with more punches.”

He also is accused of damaging property in the gas station, including glass shelves, vape pens and cartridges.

Prosecutors have filed a petition to detain Silverman in the county jail pretrial.

If convicted of the Class X felony, Silverman could be sentenced to six to 30 years in prison.