Aurora man charged with beating, robbing a woman

A 45-year-old Aurora man was charged Wednesday with beating and robbing a 20-year-old woman Friday night.

Michael Echols, of the 100 block of West Galena Boulevard, was charged with robbery and aggravated battery, both felonies, according to a post on the Aurora Police Department's Facebook page.

According to police, Echols approached the woman in a parking lot on the 0-99 block of North LaSalle Street around 9:40 p.m. on Friday. Echols demanded money from the woman, who had just put her 3-year-old son in the car, authorities said. The woman resisted and Echols knocked her to the ground and began punching her, police said.

Two witnesses, a 27-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman. saw the attack and yelled at Echols. Echols grabbed the 20-year-old woman's purse and ran away, police said. The witnesses chased Echols to a different parking lot, and when Echols tried to enter a stairwell, the 27-year-old man kicked him, sending Echols tumbling to the bottom of the stairs, police said.

Echols was then arrested by Aurora and Fox Valley Park District police.

The 20-year-old woman suffered facial injuries but declined medical treatment for herself and her son.

Bail for Echols was set at $60,000. He is being held at the Kane County Correctional Center.