Ottawa man held for reckless firing of gun charge, kids were present

An Ottawa man awaits a detention hearing after recklessly discharging a pistol while children were present – and despite a felony record that precluded him from possessing a weapon, police said.

Nicholas R. Snyder, 35, appeared Monday in La Salle County Circuit Court and was presented with two charges. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and reckless discharge of a firearm.

Prosecutors were prepared to argue for detention and to keep Snyder in jail pending trial. However, Snyder advised Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. he is seeking private legal counsel. Though the public defender was prepared to argue for pre-trial release, Snyder opted to wait for a private lawyer to enter an appearance and argue detention later.

Ryan agreed and set the matter over for April 24.

Snyder was taken into custody early Friday after Ottawa police were dispatched to the 400 block of Saint James Street. A witness and two children present said Snyder was handling a pistol and discharging shots at windows and other household objects.

“Snyder was shooting the gun in close proximity to the children,” prosecutors noted in the petition to deny pre-trial release.

Officers located Snyder running a couple of blocks away. Along his path of foot travel officers located a 9-mm pistol registered to the witness.

No injuries were reported but prosecutors have not disclosed how many shots were fired nor estimated the damage resulting from gunfire.