Police: Aurora man threatened shooting victim
A 55-year-old Aurora man charged with attempted murder of his former roommate in early March yelled, "Do you want to die" before opening fire on the man and leading police on a chase, according to an affidavit to obtain a search warrant of his car.
Authorities also found a five-shot revolver, a spent round and nine more live rounds in the car of John W. Sperry, of the 300 block of Grant Street, after his arrest, according to court records.
In addition to attempted murder, Sperry is charged with aggravated battery with a firearm.
Aurora police said Sperry pulled up to the 300 block of Jackson about 4:40 p.m. March 4 in his blue 1988 Cadillac Brougham and talked with the victim, 56.
Witnesses said Sperry confronted the former roommate before pulling a black revolver from his coat and firing a shot that hit the victim in the head, according to the affidavit.
Sperry sped off, and after a 14-minute chase that reached speeds of 70 mph, he crashed into an electric pole at Claim Street and Lincoln Avenue, authorities said.
Police didn't see Sperry throw a weapon from the car during the pursuit and an evidence technician at the scene didn't find any shell casings on the ground and therefore a search of inside Sperry's car was needed, police said in the affidavit.
In addition to finding a black .38-caliber Eastern Arms revolver, police found a pistol cleaning kit, nine live rounds, the spent shell and a butterfly knife, according to the warrant.
Police brought an eyewitness to the shooting to the crash scene and the eyewitness identified Sperry as the shooter, according to the affidavit. Other witnesses confirmed Sperry was driving the blue Cadillac, according to the warrant. The shooting stemmed from an argument, but police declined to elaborate.
Sperry has been held at the Kane County jail on $500,000 bail since his arrest, meaning he must post $50,000 to be released while the case is pending. He briefly in court Tuesday and is next due in court on April 26, when he will ask a judge to reduce his bail, records show.
If convicted of attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm, Sperry faces a sentence of 12 to 60 years in prison.