Man accused of firing gun at driver who honked at him
A DuPage judge set a $600,000 bond for a man charged with firing a handgun at a vehicle on Route 83 in Burr Ridge Thursday afternoon after the driver honked at him, authorities said Saturday.
Antonio Garcia-Dealba, 52, of the 16W700 block of Mockingbird Lane in Willowbrook, is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm.
The violence erupted after 3:30 p.m. as Garcia-Dealba was in his vehicle waiting to turn left onto southbound Route 83 from westbound 91st Street, prosecutors said. When the left-turn arrow turned green, he did not move, and a driver behind him honked her horn, according to a news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.
Garcia-Dealba then made an obscene hand gesture, turned onto Route 83 and pulled to the right. When the other driver passed him, he fired one shot at her vehicle, hitting the rear passenger door, and fled, officials said.
Burr Ridge police responded by about 3:49 p.m., investigated, and took Garcia-Dealba into custody at his home Thursday.
"It is alleged that Mr. Garcia-Dealba opened fire on another vehicle in the middle of the afternoon on an extremely busy road after another motorist honked their horn at him," DuPage State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
"This type of extremely dangerous, violent behavior, that puts innocent motorists at risk, will not be tolerated in DuPage County."
Burr Ridge Police Chief John Madden added "the allegations that the road rage suspect fired a handgun at the victim's car is a very serious matter."
Garcia-Dealba's next court date is Sept. 11.