Bottle rocket attack sends Elgin dad after assailants

Timothy Hudzik was enjoying a walk through his Elgin neighborhood Sunday evening, pushing his 2-year-old son in a stroller, his fiancee by his side.

Suddenly, a white car pulled up and someone threw a lit bottle rocket at them, its three occupants laughing, Hudzik said.

The bottle rocket burned a hole in his shorts, ricocheted off his body and landed underneath his frightened son's stroller.

"They knew there was a baby in the stroller I was pushing," the 28-year-old said. "At that point, my fatherly instincts kicked in. I wasn't going to let them get away with this."

Hudzik first ran after the Dodge, then borrowed a car from a friend and chased it until he lost it in traffic.

He went home and still wasn't satisfied that he had done enough, so he drove his own vehicle and saw the Dodge parked in a lot on the 800 block of South Randall Road and called 911.

Hudzik said the driver saw him and took off, running through traffic lights and speeding northbound on Randall Road.

When Hudzik caught up with the car, Elgin police had already stopped it at Randall and South Street in Elgin.

Police arrested three Burlington Central High School students: Shawn W. Martinelli of 2660 Kettlehook Drive, Elgin, Jordan S. Werrbach of 10N909 Highland Trail, Hampshire, and Brett R. Hudson of 2525 College Green Drive, Elgin. All are 17. Each faces a charge of felony mob action and misdemeanor reckless conduct, police said.

Martinelli, who police say admitted to lighting the bottle rocket and throwing it, also was charged with aggravated battery.

"I want to live and raise my son in this neighborhood and I'm not going to let anyone harm my family," said Hudzik, a mortgage broker who works in Schaumburg.

"My son is doing real well today, but he was very scared yesterday when it happened. Luckily, he wasn't burned because the explosion was going on all around him."

Kane County Judge Kevin Busch set at $500 for Hudson and $1,000 for Martinelli and Werrbach.

They posted their bonds and were released from custody Monday morning.

Hudson and Werrbach have court dates at the Kane County Judicial Center on July 25.

Martinelli was given an Aug. 1 court date so he could attend a family reunion in California in July.

Their mothers told Elgin police that their would be additional discipline waiting for their sons, police said.

Elgin police told their mothers to wait at least until they left the police station.