DeKalb man charged after threatening woman, barring her from leaving with infant child

DeKALB – A DeKalb man is facing charges after police say he threatened a woman and her infant child after an argument, pulling the woman from a vehicle while she was trying to get away from him.

Albert A. Chrzastowski, 28, of the 1000 block of West Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, was arrested and charged with unlawful restraint, a Class 4 felony, and domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. If convicted of the felony, Chrzastowski could face up to three years in prison.

In a virtual bond hearing this week, DeKalb County Judge Marcy Buick said Chrzastowski did not have a felony criminal history and wasn’t at high risk to commit another offense. Buick set a $10,000 recognizance bond for Chrzastowski, meaning he’d be released on his signature.

Chrzastowski’s attorney of record is Ilia Usharovioch. However, the attorney was reportedly out of the country attorney Marshall Libert represented Chrzastowski Monday. Chrzastowski tried to speak during the bond hearing but was told by Libert to be quiet.

According to DeKalb County court documents, officers responded to a call at 11:54 a.m. Sunday in the 1000 block of West Lincoln Highway about a man later identified by police as Chrzastowski preventing a woman from leaving the house during an argument.

The woman told police she had just been involved in an argument with the man. He allegedly restrained the woman and her infant child, barring them from leaving an apartment by standing in front of the doorway, documents state.

“When the victim was able to exit the apartment, the male followed her to the vehicle she was leaving in and grabbed the female from behind in a ‘bear hug’ type hold to pull her away from the vehicle,” court records state.

Prosecutors said in open court Monday the woman filed an order of protection for herself and the infant against Chrzastowski. The order was granted Monday morning.

According to the order, Chrzastowski allegedly was found at noon Dec. 31 holding the infant over his right shoulder with a gun in his hand while he was on the phone with police after the woman asked him to feed her.

The woman also alleged in the order of protection that Chrzastowski was scrolling through an escort website at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. When the woman asked what he was doing, he allegedly panicked, throwing pillows and blankets from the couch he was sleeping on in the bedroom and from the bed the woman and infant was sleeping on.

During the resulting verbal argument, the woman attempted to leave with the infant but Chrzastowski allegedly would not let them, according to the order. Chrzastowski attempted to turn the car off and tried to pull the woman away as she was trying to strap the infant into a car seat, records allege. Another person called the police, according to records.

“I fear that if I don’t receive this order of protection, that he will continue to control and manipulate me, that he will continue to create an unsafe and unhealthy living situation and that things will get progressively worse and more serious,” the order of protection states.

Buick also ordered Chrzastowski to have no contact with the woman and to obey the order of protection filed against him.

Safe Passage representatives were on the Zoom bond call but did not speak in open court on Monday.

Chrzastowski is due back in court 3 p.m. Feb. 3 via Zoom before DeKalb County Judge Joseph Pedersen.