Man arrested for assaulting wife at Buffalo Grove hotel after ‘gunman’ call prompts police response

An unfounded report of a gunman prompted a major police response to a Buffalo Grove hotel, but led officers to arrest a man for allegedly assaulting his wife.

The Buffalo Grove Police Department responded around 8 p.m. Friday to the Extended Stay America, 1525 Busch Parkway, for a report of a dispute.

Buffalo Grove Deputy Police Chief Brian Spolar said the 911 caller reported a weapon might be involved, prompting a major police response.

The Buffalo Grove Fire Department also responded to the call on standby.

Officers arrested Nathan Orlowski, 29, who has no permanent address, and he was charged with two counts of domestic violence.

Police also later learned during their investigation that no weapon was involved.

The incident was a physical fight between Orlowski and his wife, Spolar said.

Lake County Assistant Prosecutor Colleen McConnell said Orlowski was the one who placed the 911 call and reported that a Hispanic man with a gun was beating him.

The Hispanic man was actually a witness who intervened to stop Orlowski from beating his wife, McConnell said.

The witness was searched and found to have no weapon. He told police he was walking his dog around the hotel when he saw Orlowski violently push the victim against a wall and slap her.

McConnell said the witness physically intervened to help the victim.

The victim told officers that Orlowski pushed and slapped her all over her body, McConnell said.

A second witness corroborated the report of the first witness and that of the victim.

She also told officers that Orlowski had assaulted her several times before and that she was in fear for her life, McConnell said.

The victim said Orlowski had previously carved his initials into his back with a knife in a separate incident. A knife was found in Orlowski’s hotel room.

The Lake County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to detain Orlowski pending trial, calling him a real and present threat to the victim’s safety.

Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak granted the motion and returned Orlowski to the Lake County Jail, saying he needed to protect the victim’s safety.

Orlowski is due back in court on August 7 for a hearing on his attorney’s status.