Sandwich man charged with shooting fleeing woman in Leland, ordered held in jail

A Sandwich man was ordered to be held Thursday in the La Salle County Jail while he awaits trial for allegedly shooting a woman in Leland. The victim is recovering in a hospital.

Jon M. Hurtig, 29, faces a mandatory prison sentence of six to 30 years if convicted of aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony.

Hurtig appeared Thursday in La Salle County Circuit Court and was granted the services of a public defender. Hurtig petitioned the court for pre-trial release – Illinois last month eliminated cash bonds – but prosecutor Laura Hall successfully opposed his release.

In open court, Hall said the victim had turned her back on Hurtig and was fleeing the scene, at which point Hurtig is alleged to have fired the gun, striking her, and then dragged her back into a residence.

Judge Cynthia M. Raccuglia ordered him detained.

Although attorneys still are testing the limits of the SAFE-T Act, which enacted cash-free bail, La Salle County judges so far have detained suspects charged with serious firearm offenses.

Hurtig, who also is charged with unlawful restraint, a felony carrying up to three years, will next appear in court Nov. 8 for arraignment.

The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office responded about 1:22 p.m. Tuesday to the 300 block of Grant Street in Leland, where the 32-year-old woman was injured by gunfire. The injuries were described as not life-threatening, but she remains a patient in a Rockford hospital.

Police have described the incident as a domestic dispute.

Hurtig was arrested at the scene but was delayed getting to court because he, too, required medical treatment.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, Illinois Conservation Police, Leland Police Department and Leland Fire & EMS also assisted.