Authorities say the New Year’s Eve attack began after a denied job application at a Shell station on North Eastwood Drive.
WOODSTOCK, Ill. — A 29-year-old Woodstock man is charged with attempted first-degree murder after police say he beat a gas station clerk inside a Shell store on Dec. 31 and then tried to ignite a fuel pump with a lit cigarette outside the station.
Prosecutors and police said Friday the case is in its early court stages, with a judge ordering the defendant held without pretrial release. Officials described the attack as “brutal” and said surveillance video helped identify the suspect, who was arrested soon after returning to the station’s door. The incident has drawn citywide attention because it unfolded in daylight at a busy corridor and came hours before a separate arson case elsewhere in the city. The clerk sustained severe injuries and remains under medical care, authorities said.
Investigators said the confrontation started on the morning of Dec. 31 at the Shell at 110 N. Eastwood Drive. The man asked the on-duty clerk for a job application and, when told none was available, went behind the counter and punched and kicked her, police said. At one point, the clerk tried to defend herself with a wooden club kept in the store, but the attacker wrested it away and used it to strike her, authorities said. After the assault, he left the store; the clerk locked the door and called for help. Outside, the man pressed a lit cigarette to a pump in an apparent attempt to cause an explosion, officials said, but the attempt failed. Moments later, he returned to the door before officers arrived.
The clerk suffered severe injuries to her face, ribs and arms, according to statements made in court. Police Chief John Lieb said officers reviewed surveillance footage and quickly identified the assailant. Prosecutors said the counter area showed signs of a struggle, including broken display items and damaged shelving. Charges filed include attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery in a public place and criminal damage to property. In a court filing, prosecutors alleged the attacker told authorities he intended to kill the victim. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and booked into the McHenry County Jail.
Records show the initial appearance occurred Jan. 2, when a judge granted a petition to detain the defendant pending trial, citing community safety. The ruling followed a hearing where prosecutors outlined the timeline drawn from video and witness statements. The clerk was hospitalized and undergoing treatment; authorities did not release her name. Police have not detailed the exact number of blows or the full extent of property damage. The Shell station sits along U.S. 14, a main route through Woodstock with steady weekday traffic. The station’s management has not commented publicly on the incident.
The court set the next appearance for Jan. 7 in McHenry County. Prosecutors said additional evidence, including the store’s security video and medical records, will be submitted to the court as the case proceeds. The attempted murder count is a Class X felony in Illinois; if convicted, it carries a potential prison sentence measured in decades. Defense filings had not appeared in the docket as of the weekend, and no plea was entered in the brief initial hearing. The judge’s pretrial detention order means the defendant will remain in county custody while the case is pending.
Neighbors who stopped by the station over the weekend found the counter area partially cleared. “It’s scary to think it happened in the morning,” said a customer who works nearby, adding that she often visited the store before her shift. McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese called the episode “heinous” and praised officers for the quick arrest. A store regular said the clerk was “always kind” and wished her a swift recovery. Police did not announce any further searches or suspects.
As of Sunday evening, the defendant remained jailed in McHenry County and the case was set to return to court Wednesday, Jan. 7. Authorities said they would release updates after the hearing and as investigative reports are filed with the court.
Author note: Last updated January 5, 2026.