Elgin man accused of shooting at his wife

A 52-year-old Elgin man remained in the McHenry County jail Thursday, a day after his arrest on allegations he shot at his estranged wife near a busy Crystal Lake intersection.

Leopoldo Martinez, 1166 Sebring Drive, faces charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal damage to property stemming from the Tuesday night shooting near Route 176 and Oak Street.

Martinez made his first court appearance Thursday morning, where a judge read him his rights and set his bond at $150,000. However, even if Martinez comes up with the $15,000 cash needed to go free, he likely will stay in custody because of a federal immigration hold on him.

According to court documents, Martinez's 44-year-old wife was driving to work about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday when she noticed her husband following her. Trying to avoid him, police said, she turned into a parking lot at Route 176 and Oak Street and then heard a gunshot directed toward her car.

Officers responding to the scene found a bullet hole in the trunk of the her car and bullet fragments inside it, Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Dennis Harris said.

"There had been previous threats from Mr. Martinez toward the female victim," Harris added. "She had reason to believe he might try to harm her."

Martinez drove away from the scene, Harris said, but was arrested at his home a few hours later by Elgin police.

On Wednesday, the woman obtained an emergency order of protection against Martinez barring him from any contact with her for at least two weeks. In a petition seeking the protective order, she states her husband had been violent with her in the past and had been stalking her since she moved out of their Elgin home.

Martinez is scheduled to return to court Oct. 25 to set a date for a preliminary hearing. If found guilty of the charges, he could face up to 15 years in prison.