Man accused of running over wife with car on purpose in Oakwood Hills jailed

A man who has been accused of running over his wife with a car in Oakwood Hills and severely injuring her Friday evening has been jailed, court records indicate.

Pablo Contreras, 50, “knowingly” backed his car into his spouse, “knocking her to the ground,” continued in reverse so his tires ran over her and then “drove over her body again” while fleeing the scene, according to a criminal complaint against Contreras in McHenry County court.

Contreras has been charged with aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, causing a crash with injuries and failing to report a crash with injuries, all felonies, according to court records.

Appearing in court Saturday, Contreras was ordered detained pretrial. He appeared to tear up during parts of the hearing, including when prosecutors argued for pretrial detention.

The woman’s sister spoke during the hearing. Sound from the courtroom was not piped into the public viewing area, so it is not clear what was said during the hearing.

Contreras was standing at a podium, as defendants do in hearings, but took a seat to the side when the woman’s sister came to speak.

While the sister spoke, Contreras appeared to cry. He held what appeared to be a white piece of paper over his head and face while he was seated. But he seemed to not be crying and appeared emotionless when he returned to the podium after the sister finished.

Assistant State’s Attorney Garrett Miller said the impact of the car created enough force to put the woman on her back. He mentioned a fractured pelvis and that she had been run over twice.

In the detention order, Judge Jeffrey Hirsch wrote that the sister said the victim suffered an injured clavicle and carotid artery, and “she is intubated while she waits for surgery.”

Hirsch wrote that Contreras and his wife were having an argument “regarding the disclosure” of her inheritance. He wrote that a witness described the couple as being outside, and she was behind his vehicle, according to the detention order.

Hirsch wrote that Contreras allegedly put his vehicle in reverse and knocked his wife into the street.

The judge wrote that Contreras allegedly continued to drive and drove over his spouse’s body. A witness allegedly saw that after the woman was driven over, Contreras allegedly put the car in drive and drove over her again, according to the detention order.

Hirsch wrote that Contreras allegedly did not stop, render aid or call an ambulance. He allegedly drove over her a second time while driving away from the scene, according to the detention order.

The woman had two minor children at home when the alleged incident happened, according to a probable cause statement Hirsch mentioned in his order.

Hirsch wrote that Contreras allegedly first denied hitting his wife and then allegedly “made the possibly conflicting statement he didn’t mean to hit his wife,” according to the order.

“The court can make a reasonable inference that the self-serving statement isn’t credible and that he poses a serious threat to his wife, and driving over her once and then twice is either intentional or a willful disregard to her safety,” Hirsch wrote in the order.

Authorities said the woman was left bleeding and bruised on the driveway, and from the hospital it was “tentatively reported” that she suffered a crushed pelvis and possible skull fracture, and was placed on a breathing tube, according to the complaint.

Contreras is due back in court June 2.