Served With Protection Order, Joliet Man Beats Woman Up After She Visits His Mom's Apartment: Prosecutors

JOLIET, IL — This week, a matter of hours after 24-year-old Alex Montgomery was served with his Will County order of protection, the ex-girlfriend who obtained the judge's decree showed up late at night at Montgomery's mother's Joliet apartment on Vine Street — which is where he was —according to court documents.

Responding Joliet police officers found the victim with torn clothes and fresh blood on her.

She "advised she was abused by her ex-boyfriend, Alex Montgomery, and that their baby was inside," prosecutors noted.

On Thursday, the Will County State's Attorney's Office filed a successful petition to deny pretrial release against Montgomery. He is now charged with aggravated domestic battery involving strangling plus seven more crimes including violation of a protection order.

Will County Judge James B. Harvey agreed the SAFE-T-Act would be applied to Montgomery. He will now remain in the Will County Jail for an indefinite period of time.

According to court documents, at 2:25 a.m. on Wednesday, Joliet police were called to the apartment unit in the 800 block of Vine Street, over near St. Mary's Nativity, for a domestic.

The 911 caller heard a woman screaming for help.

Joliet police went into the apartment and "Alex was locked in a bedroom door and refused to exit. Officers had to force entry into the room," court files reflect.

The victim later explained how she was allowed into the Vine Street apartment by Montgomery's mother, Desiree.

"While at the residence Alex walked in and asked ... if she would be willing to talk to him due to being served an order of protection earlier in the day, Will County 2026 OP 2140 issued," prosecutors advised. "Alex became irate when she received a phone call from an unknown male and slammed his own head into the wall causing a cut to his forehead."

Suddenly, Montgomery's ex-girlfriend "tried to run out of the apartment and Alex grabbed her by her clothes and yanked her down. Alex then covered her mouth and nose with one hand as he grabbed her by the throat with the other hand," prosecutors told Judge Harvey. "She was 'seeing stars.' ... Alex then bit her on the left cheek after she grabbed Alex's hair in an attempt to get him to stop choking her."

The violent attack was not over, though.

"Alex shoved her face into the ground, bit her left side of her face, punched and kicked her. (She) observed the squad outside and Alex dragged her across the hallway to try and get her back into the apartment," prosecutors pointed out.

The victim advised Joliet police how she recently separated from Alex three days ago and has been physically abused by him multiple times.

Joliet police spoke with the defendant's mother, Desiree Montgomery, "who stated she knew Alex was going to be at the apartment and that Alex had (the victim) over to speak about their relationship. Desiree indicated Alex does not live at that residence. There is no indication that she was present for any of the altercation," prosecutors notified Judge Harvey.

"The defendant has prior domestic batteries that were ultimately dismissed based on lack of cooperation by the victim. The most recent is with the same victim," prosecutors informed the judge.