Round Lake Beach man denies drive-by shooting charges

A Round Lake Beach man pleaded not guilty Friday to charges stemming from a drive-by shooting that wounded one man.

Oscar Lopez, 19, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Rod Drobinski said Lopez, of the 300 block of Shorewood Drive, was one of three occupants of a car driving in the 100 block of Cherokee Trail around 7 p.m. on June 4.

The car passed a group of six people sitting at the end of a driveway, Drobinski said, and the two groups of people exchanged insults and flashed gang signs at each other.

Someone inside the car opened fire, Drobinski said, and a 21-year-old man sitting on the driveway was hit in the left foot.

Police found nine spent .22-caliber shell casings in the area of the shooting, Drobinski said, and the victim was treated and released from Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

People who were in the group sitting in the driveway were able to identify Lopez as one of the people in the car, Drobinski said, and he was arrested June 7.

Police are still attempting to identify the other occupants of the car, Drobinski said.

Lopez appeared before Associate Judge Theodore Potknojak, who ordered him to return to court July 29.

Lopez is held in the Lake County jail on $150,000 bond.