Man charged with attempted murder after attacking woman in park

A Wisconsin man is charged with attempted murder after McHenry police say he attacked a woman in Peterson Park while walking his unleashed dog.

Police said a preliminary investigation revealed that Raymond P. Link, 47, of West Allis, was walking his unleashed dog when Link “suddenly attacked and mauled” a 59-year-old woman, causing severe injuries to her face and several Suffered dog bites. She was flown to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

Police Chief John Birk said in a news release that the attack was unprovoked and “there did not appear to be any connection between Link and the victim.”

The woman was walking her dog at the time. A 37-year-old man intervened and was also injured, police said.

According to a complaint filed by authorities in McHenry County court, Link “took significant steps to commit first-degree murder … by knowingly and unlawfully kicking, kicking (the woman) on the head and neck.” “He placed both knees on her head and neck with his entire body weight and attempted to strangle the victim with his forearms and/or hands while the victim lay unconscious and unresponsive on the floor.”

Link also “attempted to strangle the victim with his forearm and/or hands, rendering the victim unable to breathe, while the victim lay unconscious and unresponsive on the ground, resulting in lacerations to the victim’s left ear, a tear in the left eyeball and several significant lacerations, and an extensive open fracture of the facial bones,” the complaint states.

Link is also accused of beating the man, striking him “more than 12 times in the chest and arms with a closed fist and commanding his dog to attack him,” court records say.

Link was taken into custody after police responded to the scene around 3:30 p.m. Sunday and taken to the McHenry County Jail. Authorities said Link was charged with attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated assault with strangulation and aggravated assault in a public place. His dog fled but was later found and placed in the care of McHenry County Animal Control.

Police said the incident was under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the McHenry Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at (815) 363-2599. Anonymous tips can be made to (815) 363-2124, a line that does not use caller ID, authorities said.