Police say McHenry man struck 4-month-old dog causing bruising, bleeding and unconsciousness

A McHenry man accused of striking a 4-month-old dog “causing serious injury” was arrested on Wednesday and was being held in the McHenry County jail on $150,000 bond, according to the jail log and criminal complaint on file in the McHenry County courthouse.

Joseph Lekics, 32, of the 1900 block of Richmond Road, was charged with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 4 felony, according to court documents and the jail log.

McHenry police said they responded to an address in the 1900 block of North Orleans.

If convicted on the Class 4 felony, he could face between one and three years in prison. The charge also is probational.

About 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Lekics caused “serious injury to his four-month-old dog by striking [it], causing the dog to suffer bleeding and swollen eyes, a bleeding mouth and rendering the dog unconscious,” according to the complaint.

McHenry police were dispatched to Lekics’ home in response to a call from a neighbor who called because “they heard a dog yelping and was concerned for its well being,” Public Affairs Officer for McHenry Police Mike Spohn said Thursday in an email.

“The responding officer heard a dog yelping and crying inside,” Spohn said. “The officer asked [Lekics] to see the dog and observed it was not conscious and was bleeding from the mouth, drooling and having trouble breathing.”

Lekics was placed under arrest and the dog was taken to an animal hospital in Crystal Lake for treatment.

It was unclear how long the dog was unconscious, but according to the police report, while en-route to the animal hospital, the dog was in and out of consciousness, Spohn said.

As of Thursday, Lekics still was in the McHenry County jail. In order to be released, he would need to post $15,000, 10% of his total bond amount. Should he be released, he is ordered to not have any contact with animals, according to a court document.