Police: Joliet man caught in home of abused girlfriend

JOLIET – A Joliet man was caught inside of the apartment of a girlfriend he’s barred from visiting under a protective order, police said.

About 10 p.m. Thursday, Jonathan L. McDowell, 27, of the 900 block of Louis Place, was arrested on a charge of violating a protective order. McDowell was sent to the Will County jail.

It was McDowell’s second time in jail this year after he was charged with domestic battery on March 23 for striking a child.

The girlfriend who filed a protective order against him posted 10 percent of his $7,500 bond on March 26, according to court records.

Before March 23, McDowell’s girlfriend filed a petition that alleged physical and verbal abuse.

She claimed McDowell whipped their son with a belt, leaving his left lower arm swollen and bruised, and marks on his shoulder and chest.

His girlfriend also alleged McDowell scratched her face and “you can still see the marks,” the petition said.

She believes McDowell is hurting their son because she took a DNA test with another man and it came back 99.9 percent positive, it said.

McDowell’s girlfriend said she was afraid he is going to “severely hurt” their son.

“It could be a broken arm or leg or even death,” she said.

Joliet police said they received a call from McDowell’s girlfriend, who alleged he was at her apartment.

Officers arrived and found him there and arrested him after verifying there was a protective order against him, Joliet Deputy Police Chief Ed Gregory said in an email.

“There were no outward signs of a disturbance nor had the victim communicated any such occurrence,” Gregory said.

In 2016, McDowell’s girlfriend filed a protective order against him that also alleged physical and verbal abuse. The order was dismissed that year.