A Galesburg man awaits his July 30th preliminary hearing on a number of charges, including Class X Home Invasion.
30-year-old Gregory D. Tucker made a video appearance in Knox County Circuit Court Monday afternoon where he had his bond set at $50,000 by Judge James G. Baber and the public defender’s office was appointed to represent his case.
According to a Galesburg Police report, officers responded to the 1700-block of Carl Sandburg Drive for a battery in progress call at around 3:53 Sunday morning. Reports note that “dispatch advised they could only hear a woman screaming over the phone.”
Officers arrived and found that the apartment had been forced into. As noted by an officer in the report, “I observed the apartment to be in a state of disarray. I also observed that a hole had been punched into one of the walls leading to the back of the apartment.” Officers also heard a woman screaming from inside the apartment.
They entered the apartment and made their way to the back of the apartment where they allegedly found Tucker on top of a woman with his hands around her neck, choking her. Reports indicate that the woman was holding two children during the incident.
When police made their presence known, Tucker allegedly screamed at the woman, asking her why she called the police. Police ordered him off her and after some hesitation, he allegedly let her go and began making aggressive motions towards officers.
Officers deployed tasers on him. He allegedly continued to resist until they were able to secure him in handcuffs. He was transported to the Knox County Jail.
The woman told officers that Tucker had came over uninvited and began banging and kicking on the door. Reports indicate she told officers that the children woke up scared and ran to her room. At around that point, Tucker allegedly kicked in the door. She said that he began punching the walls of her apartment and then started choking her.
Officers located visible scratches on her neck and there was blood observed coming from her ears.
It was noted in the police report that officers attempted to speak with Tucker at the jail but he was allegedly too intoxicated to do so. However, it was noted that he was speaking to himself, “stating that she should have left a key outside.”
