Wonder Lake man pleads not guilty to alleged battery of nurse and 2 security guards

handcuffs

A Wonder Lake man entered a not guilty plea Friday to charges alleging he last month spit at and battered a nurse, two private security guards and a McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy at Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Woodstock.

Ryan E. Townsend, 29, of the 3700 block of Woodstock St., is charged with four counts of aggravated battery, Class 2 felonies; two counts of aggravated battery, Class 3 felonies; and one count of criminal damage to property, a Class A misdemeanor, according to the indictment filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

Townsend was out on pre-trial release on a separate felony case from January 2021 involving a charge of aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony, at the time he was charged with the July 18 alleged batteries, according to court documents.

If convicted on the newer battery charges he will be required to serve whatever sentence is given consecutive to the sentence given — if convicted — on the prior felony case, according to the indictment.

A Class 2 felony carries a sentencing range of between three and seven years in prison. If he is found to be eligible for extended sentencing, he could face between seven and 14 years. The charge also carries a fine of up to $25,000. The Class 3 felonies carry two to five years in prison, or if eligible for extended sentencing, he could be sentenced to between five and 10 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.

He is accused of spitting at and head-butting one security guard at the hospital, spitting at another security guard, spitting at a McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy, and spitting at and smashing the hand of a nurse between a hospital bed handrail and handcuffs, according to a criminal complaint on file in the courthouse.

He is due back in court on this case Sept. 23.