Police: 19-year-old Lake Villa man shot pellet gun at passing cars

A 19-year-old Lake Villa man who had been shooting a pellet gun at passing cars from a bedroom window in his home on two consecutive nights, was arrested after hitting a police car, officials said Thursday.

Joseph Hamilton, who lives on the 39000 block of North Deep Lake Road, admitted to shooting at passing vehicles on June 29 and 30, after he was arrested early Thursday morning. Police say two cars and a Lake County Sheriff's vehicle were hit with pellets.

Lake Villa police were responding to a call of vehicles being shot at on Deep Lake Road south of Grasslake Road at 12:05 a.m. Thursday when their police patrol car was hit by a pellet on the driver's side door. The officer's window was rolled down, according to the police.

"It could have been bad for the patrol sergeant," Police Chief Ronald Roth said. "The damage is 20 inches below the open driver's side window."

Roth said the officers looked at the angle of the shot and after narrowing it down to two houses, they noticed an open bedroom window. The officers found Hamilton and the pellet gun in the home.

One of the targeted vehicles has a damaged windshield, the other vehicle and the Lake Villa squad car have dents and paint damage. Officials did not know the damage on the sheriff's squad car.

Hamilton posted bond and faces three counts of criminal property damage, but could face more charges if other damaged vehicles are identified.

Anyone who thinks their vehicle was damaged by a pellet gun on Deep Lake Road is asked to call the Lake Villa Police Department at (847) 356-6106 and ask for investigations.