Judge denies rural Dixon man’s request to be released from jail on attempted murder charges

OREGON – An Ogle County judge has again denied a rural Dixon man’s request to be released from jail as he faces charges of attempted murder in the shooting of three police officers June 12.

Jonathon Gounaris, 32, appeared in court Monday. He is charged with four counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, three counts of aggravated battery and two counts of possession of a firearm without a firearm owner’s identification card. He pleaded not guilty July 10.

Police allege that he shot three members of the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team after a three-hour standoff when police tried to enter his home at 402 Wild Rice Lane in Lost Lake, a rural subdivision east of Dixon commonly referred to as Lost Nation.

[ Sheriff: Rural Dixon resident shoots 3 deputies after barricading himself in home at Lost Lake ]

Ogle County Sheriff’s Lt. Jason Ketter was shot in the face and taken by air ambulance to OSF Medical Center in Rockford, where he underwent surgery. He was released from the hospital June 14.

Sgt. Tad Dominski of the Oregon Police Department was shot in the arm, and Tyler Carls of the Rochelle Fire Department was shot in the torso during the June 12 incident. They were treated at KSB Hospital in Dixon and released later that evening.

The ERT is made up of individuals from agencies including the sheriff’s office, Oregon and Byron police departments, and SWAT medics from the Rochelle Fire Department.

Gounaris also was shot during the gunfire exchange and was taken to KSB Hospital in Dixon, where he was treated before being booked into the Winnebago County Jail in Rockford on June 18.

On Monday, Gounaris appeared in court before Judge John “Ben” Roe wearing handcuffs, leg irons and dressed in a yellow jumpsuit issued to inmates.

Assistant State’s Attorney Heather Kruse said the sheriff’s office received a call the morning of June 12 from Gounaris’ mother, who was crying and told police that her son had made suicidal and homicidal threats and had access to two guns.

Kruse said the mother first called police after Gounaris had struck a deer around 2 a.m. and abandoned the damaged vehicle.

The mother told police that her son had barricaded himself in the home and threatened to kill himself or anyone else who tried to talk to him. She told authorities that her son suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and, in general, hated police, Kruse said.

Ogle County Public Defender William Gibbs argued again for Gounaris’ release in order to receive mental health treatment.

Gibbs also claimed that police never announced they were going to enter the house. He said he reviewed body camera footage of the incident, which was released by the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office on June 18.

To view body camera footage of the shootings, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEhLBrcn0g.

“The police were told not to enter the residence but they did anyway. They never said they were going in,” Gibbs said, “In viewing the video at least 30 shots were fired into the house [by law enforcement] and only a few were fired outside the house [by Gounaris]. With proper treatment he is not a real threat to anyone.”

Kruse disagreed.

“The evidence does not support the argument that they [law enforcement] were told not to enter the residence,” Kruse said, “He is a clear and present danger to everyone. No one is safe from this defendant.”

Kruse emphasized the seriousness of the injuries to law enforcement and said that Lt. Ketter’s face is disfigured following his injury.

During a preliminary hearing on July 10, Gibbs told Judge John Redington that based on a mental health evaluation done at KSB Hospital in June, the doctors expressed a desire to place Gounaris in an inpatient treatment center.

On Monday, Kruse told Roe that Gibbs was asked to provide documents from KSB Hospital in support of these claims and has not done so.

Gibbs said he was going to enter a motion asking for a mental health assessment. Kruse said the state would not object.

Roe denied the request for release, but said he understood the defense’s argument for mental health treatment.

“The current conditions are necessary,” Roe said. “There is clear and convincing evidence that Gounaris has committed these crimes and that they are detainable offenses.”

Gounaris’ next court appearance is set for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 26.