Police: Sycamore man held wife against her will
A Sycamore man is facing several misdemeanor charges for allegedly keeping his wife at his father’s house for months against her will.
John H. McDonald, Jr., was charged Monday with two counts of terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, simple assault and harassment for allegedly abusing his wife, Pam McDonald, several times over the course of their yearlong marriage, Morris Township police Chief Michael Natale said.
Pam told police she wanted to leave her husband and the house, at 1115 WW Railroad Road, Sycamore, but her husband took the car keys, police said. While her husband was at work, he left the keys with his father and owner of the house, John McDonald, Sr., who would not allow Pam to have the keys, police said.
“She wasn’t being physically barred from leaving the house,” Natale said. “Could she have left on foot? Technically yes, but we’re in a very rural area and she had her two cats with her and wanted to bring them and some personal items to her sister’s house to live.”
Natale said Pam gave him a written statement about certain instances of abuse dating back to December along with videos, text messages and a smashed cell phone as evidence. Pam told police since December, her husband has grabbed her by the arm, thrown items at her and spit on her, according to court documents.
The incident that drove her to contact police happened July 12 when McDonald, Jr. allegedly demanded sex, “stating that it was her obligation as his wife,” the complaint said. Pam told police when she refused, he grabbed her while she was in the shower and pinned her against the back of the stall, choking her with his arm across her neck, the complaint said.
Pam told police McDonald, Jr., then pushed her out of the shower and smashed her cell phone. The next morning she called her sister, who then called the police.
Natale said the charges against McDonald, Jr., will go out as a summons. He said Pam is no longer living at the house.
“I explained to her how to get a protection from abuse order and she told me that she was going to get one,” Natale said.