Jan. 21--A Tinley Park man was charged with kidnapping and aggravated domestic battery after a female acquaintance told police he attacked her outside her Orland Park home and trapped her inside her house for several hours Sunday.
A 34-year-old woman said Michael A. Woelfel, 38, was hiding near her garage door when she arrived at her home on Catalina Drive about 1:45 a.m. Sunday, Orland Park police said in a statement.
Woelfel, of the 7100 block of West 167th Street, allegedly grabbed the woman, pulled her into the garage and covered her mouth when she screamed for help, police said. She suffered "minor injuries" when he grabbed her around her face and neck and pushed her to the ground, landing on top of her, according to police.
When she tried to call 911, Woelfel took her phone and did not allow her to leave her home or call for help for about nine hours, police said. She was able to leave and call her family and police around 10:45 a.m. Sunday when Woelfel left the home, according to a statement from police.
Orland Park police detectives arrested Woelfel at his home about 2:30 that afternoon. He was charged with kidnapping and aggravated domestic battery, both felonies. Cook County Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil issued a $1,000 bond Monday at the Cook County courthouse at 2600 S. California Ave. in Chicago, police said.
Woelfel posted $100 and was released from custody, police said. His next court date is Thursday at the Bridgeview courthouse.
"We are surprised (at the bond amount), based on the seriousness of the charges being two Class 2 felonies," Orland Park Police Cmdr. John Keating said.
A call to the Cook County state's attorney's office for comment was not immediately returned.
lzumbach@tribpub.com
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