DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputies apprehended a suspect earlier this week who was wanted for murder in Kane County.

James Townsend, 41, of Aurora was arrested late Tuesday at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, 626 Bethany Road. Townsend was in the hospital for treatment of injuries sustained earlier in the evening during an automobile accident near the intersection of Route 30 and University Road.

While Townsend was in the hospital, police did a background check and found he was wanted in Kane County for failure to appear in court on charges of murder, intent to kill/injure.

Townsend was released from the hospital and transported to DeKalb County Jail. He since has been transferred to the Kane County Jail, where he remains, DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said.

Failure to appear warrants for smaller offenses are not uncommon, Scott said, but failing to show up in court for a murder charge is very rare.

In December 2001, Townsend was indicted in Kane County on charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm.