Crest Hill woman charged with stabbing dog, swinging knife at others

A woman who pleaded guilty earlier this year to battery with a knife has been charged with stabbing a dog with a knife in Crest Hill, as well as swinging a knife at two people.

On Tuesday, Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins signed a warrant for the arrest of Tamica Neal, 44, of Crest Hill, on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, aggravated assault and domestic battery.

The charges were the result of an investigation by the Crest Hill Police Department.

A criminal complaint alleged that Neal “stabbed a dog with a knife” March 17, swung a knife at two people and struck a third person on their body.

DeWilkins ordered that Neal be held without release after she was apprehended by police and brought to court to determine whether she should stay in jail.

The domestic battery and aggravated cruelty to animals charges would be considered offenses eligible for detention under the SAFE-T Act.

On Jan. 23, Neal pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery, according to court records. Prosecutors said Neal struck Kim Pruitte, 61, of Joliet, “about the body with a knife.”

Neal was sentenced to two years of conditional discharge.

Pruitte was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in a case where he’s alleged to have kicked Neal in the head. That case remains pending in court.

Pruitte and Neal petitioned protective orders against each other over the same incident. Pruitte alleged that Neal attacked him and stabbed him with a knife. Neal alleged that she got into an altercation with Pruitte and was “kicked in the eye” and “stabbed in the leg.”

Both petitions were later dismissed by a judge.