Aurora’s Ireland arrested, charged after alleged violent attack of woman

Suspect allegedly faked medical emergency to break out of Lawrence County Jail, quickly caught by nearby enforcement officer
An Aurora man was taken into custody after a woman reported being raped by him on Wednesday, April 3. James Matthew Ireland, 25, is charged with first degree rape, armed criminal action, first degree sodomy and unlawful use of a weapon relating to the alleged assault. He also faces charges of escape from confinement, damage to the jail or jail property and stealing in regard to an alleged attempted escape attempt which was reported to have occurred on Monday, April 7.
Ireland accused of attacking woman
According to the probable cause statement in the case, a woman came to the Aurora-Marionville Police Department that morning and reported that she had been raped by Ireland 15 minutes earlier. She said that she went to his house to retrieve a hoodie, at which point Ireland, she said, grabbed her by the throat with both hands and started squeezing. She said that she couldn’t breathe and thought Ireland was going to kill her.
She also said that at times, he would hold a knife to her throat.
In a post-Miranda interview, Ireland at first denied having sex with the woman but then claimed they’d had intercourse. Ireland also claimed that the woman had “made sexual advances on him” which resulted in them “kissing and making out.” He also said he choked the woman and then got angry and started choking her “too hard.” Ireland then said he thought he was going to kill the victim at one point, so he stopped.

Ireland was booked into the Lawrence County Jail on Thursday, April 4. As an Aurora-Marionville Police officer was taking him to jail, he was reported to have said to the officer, “When I get out tomorrow, I will beat you’re a-- and rape you.”

Alleged escape attempt
According to the probable cause statement in the alleged escape attempt, on April 7, Ireland told a Lawrence County deputy sheriff that he wasn’t feeling well and having trouble breathing. The deputy reported that he took Ireland to the booking room and, after performing a vitals check on him, he took Ireland back to protective custody.
Later, the deputy reported, Ireland told him that he (Ireland) was going to collapse. The deputy took him back to booking and booked in another detainee while having Ireland sit on a stool. The deputy then took the new detainee to another part of the jail and told Ireland to sit on the stool and stay there until he (the deputy) returned.
The deputy said that while he was escorting the new detainee, he was informed that Ireland had broken out of the jail. According to the criminal complaint, Ireland kicked a door and broke the door frame while escaping.
The deputy ran outside to find Ireland, but reported he couldn’t find him. The deputy contacted dispatch, who informed him that another officer had located Ireland and would bring him back to the jail. Because Ireland was wearing his prison attire during his alleged attempted escape, he was also charged with theft.
Ireland will next appear in court on Monday, May 6, for a preliminary hearing on all charges. As of press time, he remained in the Lawrence County Jail.