A Cook County judge set bail at $2 million for a local man charged with stabbing his mother and leaving her in a ditch.

Blake Springsteen, 22, appeared before Judge Brian Flaherty at the Markham Courthouse. Springsteen faces a charge of attempted murder in connection with the alleged March 4 attack on his 46-year-old mother, Jennifer Springsteen.

Assistant State's Attorney Julia Ramirez said Jennifer Springsteen returned to her 3653 W. Flossmoor Road home that day about noon. Blake Springsteen, who also lived there along with his father and two brothers, was in the house when his mother arrived.

The mother and son argued, Ramirez said, and Jennifer Springsteen told Blake Springsteen to leave the house or she would call the police.

Blake Springsteen then smacked the telephone out of his mother's hand and throttled her, Ramirez said. He let her go long enough to grab a power cord for a laptop computer, she said. He looped the cord around his mother's neck and used it to garrote her, the prosecutor said.

As he strangled his mother, Ramirez said, Blake Springsteen told her he was "going to kill her because she ruined his life."

Blake Springsteen then loaded his mother in the back of his car, Ramirez said. He stabbed her once in the neck and jabbed at her twice more, but Jennifer Springsteen deflected the knife with her hands, suffering wounds to both of them, the prosecutor said.

Springsteen reportedly drove his mother to Crete and left her in a ditch, where she was found by a passerby. Jennifer Springsteen was first taken to Franciscan St. James Health and then to Advocate South Suburban Hospital. She was treated for cuts, bruises and knife wounds, Ramirez said.

Springsteen's father, Kenneth Springsteen, 46, attended his son's hearing. He declined to discuss the case.

Kenneth Springsteen was himself allegedly the target of his son's violence. In December 2008, Blake Springsteen was charged with domestic battery for allegedly pushing his father "over a vacuum cleaner, causing him to fall and have pain in his back," according to a criminal complaint.

The charge was later dropped.

That was only one of Blake Springsteen's three prior domestic battery arrests. He was also charged with attacking his mother and younger brother Seth Springsteen in May 2008, and also beating Seth Springsteen in July 2009.

The 2009 case was dropped but Blake Springsteen pleaded guilty to the May 2008 charge. He was sentenced to court supervision.

Blake Springsteen's attorney, Shevon Fullman, told Judge Flaherty that her client is bipolar and takes psychotropic medication. She also said Blake Springsteen was employed as a cook at Rock Bottom restaurant before he was arrested and that he obtained a certificate to work as a bartender.

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