Prosecutor: Palatine man assaulted woman, bound her to forklift after kidnapping
A 20-year-old Palatine man who prosecutors say kidnapped, sexually assaulted and beat a woman in Lake Barrington - at one point binding her to a forklift - was ordered held on $3 million bail Thursday.
Ryan Storm, of the 500 block of West Gilbert Road, is charged with aggravated kidnapping, three counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated battery and unlawful restraint, among other charges. To be released while awaiting trial, he would need to post $300,000 in cash and be evaluated with a domestic assault risk assessment reviewed by a judge.
In a bond hearing conducted Thursday via Zoom, Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Tara Ferrari said Storm met up with the woman, whom he knows, in a Palatine parking lot, where they spoke for about 30 minutes on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.
As the woman went to leave, Storm grabbed her from behind and tried to kiss her, Ferrari said. He pinned her and grabbed her neck, which made her lose consciousness, according to Ferrari.
Ferrari said Storm then dragged the woman to his car and drove to a business in Lake Barrington. On the way, the woman regained consciousness and attempted to grab the steering wheel, Ferrari said. She said Storm then pulled the car over, hit the woman in the face, choked her and threatened to snap her neck.
The woman passed out again and when she awoke she found herself bound in what she thought was a warehouse or garage, Ferrari said. According to police, the woman was found battered and bound to a piece of heavy equipment inside a business believed to be Storm's workplace on the 28000 block of Commercial Avenue in Lake Barrington.
According to Ferrari, Storm cut off the woman's clothes with a box cutter and hit her repeatedly with a wooden object.
Storm urinated on the woman and sexually assaulted her, at one point attaching her to a forklift and raising her into the air, authorities said.
Ferrari said eventually the woman heard someone outside and began to scream. Storm threatened her and said if she kept screaming he would snap her neck, Ferrari said.
Soon after, a person came inside the building and Storm took off running, according to Ferrari.
According to police accounts released Wednesday, the person who entered the Lake Barrington business did so at about 2 a.m., after receiving a call from Storm early Wednesday morning that seemed strange. The person decided to check on Storm's well-being by going to his workplace.
Police conducted a large manhunt for Storm and he was apprehended some time after 8 a.m. Wednesday by a Fox River Grove police officer.
Police said Wednesday the woman is hospitalized and recovering from her injuries.
Public access to the virtual hearing was limited to an audio-only feed. Storm spoke during the hearing only once, when the judge asked him if he planned to hire an attorney. Storm said he had to think about it. The judge then appointed a public defender to represent Storm until he decided.
Storm is due back in court June 1.