Crystal Lake man accused of swinging machete during argument at Super 8 Motel

A man accused of swinging a machete during an argument at the Super 8 Motel in Crystal Lake was ordered to be held Tuesday in the McHenry County jail pretrial.

Raymond M. Gaines, 20, who has the motel’s address listed in court records as his home address, is charged with four counts of aggravated battery, Class 3 felonies, and two counts of misdemeanor aggravated assault on public property, according to the criminal complaint.

If convicted of the Class 3 felony, Gaines could be sentenced to between two and five years in prison. The charge also is probational.

At 11:55 a.m. Monday, police arrived at the motel in response to “several subjects arguing and one subject swinging a machete,” the Crystal Lake Police Department said in a news release.

Police said Gaines battered two people with the blunt handle of a machete and also was trying to strike them with the blade.

The criminal complaint alleges that Gaines hit one person in the head with the blunt end of the machete and then “swung” and “slashed” the “machete at the victim multiple times ... with the intent to cause great bodily harm with the deadly weapon” while in the hallway of the motel.

No one was injured, and no medical treatment was necessary, police said.

Gaines was staying at the motel before being taken into custody by police without incident, according to the release.

The investigation remains active and ongoing. Police encourage anyone who may have information relating to the incident to call the Crystal Lake Police Department at 815-356-3620.

Anyone with a cellphone can send an anonymous tip to the Crystal Lake Police Department by texting the word CLPDTIP along with the tip information to 847411 (tip411).

An attempt to reach the manager of the motel was not successful.

Gaines, who did not yet have an attorney listed in his file Tuesday, is due in court March 1.