Elgin man denied release after allegedly firing at estranged wife in Naperville: prosecutors
NAPERVILLE, Ill. - An Elgin man accused of ambushing his estranged wife outside a Naperville home and firing a shot that narrowly missed her has been denied pretrial release, prosecutors said.
What we know:
Rocky Ahmedyar, 35, appeared in DuPage County court Wednesday afternoon for a first appearance hearing.
He is charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder, a Class X felony; one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony; one count of aggravated stalking, a Class 3 felony; and one misdemeanor count of violating an order of protection, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Pictured is Rocky Ahmedyar, 35. (DuPage County State's Attorney )
The victim, Ahmedyar’s wife, has an active domestic violence case and an order of protection against him in Kane County.
The charges stem from an incident on June 17, when Naperville police responded to a home just after 3:30 a.m.
Authorities said the victim had moved out of the family’s Elgin residence with their three children and was staying at a home in Naperville.
According to prosecutors, the woman told police she went outside around 3:05 a.m. to leave for work and was approached by Ahmedyar, who was holding a silver Kimber 9mm handgun. He allegedly told her she had to speak with him or he would shoot her.
Prosecutors said the confrontation continued for about 30 minutes until a passing vehicle caused Ahmedyar to lower his weapon.
As the woman began reversing her car, Ahmedyar allegedly walked alongside it, raised the gun again and ordered her to stop. He then fired a shot, according to prosecutors.
The bullet traveled through the top right of the driver’s seat toward the passenger side and missed the victim by mere millimeters, prosecutors said. Ahmedyar then fled on foot, and the victim called 911.
Elgin police arrested Ahmedyar at 4:13 a.m. as he arrived at his home.
Further investigation revealed he had also sent the victim several harassing and threatening text messages, including: "You watch your self," "But b**** Iam not scared of your b****," and "I hope you die one day b**** because your a virus in the world," according to the state’s attorney’s office.
What they're saying:
"Domestic violence is not a private family matter, it is a serious crime that if left unchecked, can escalate causing serious physical harm to the victim, up to and including death," DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. "While the victim in this case was forced to endure an extremely stressful situation allegedly at the hands of her husband, we are all extremely thankful that she was physically unharmed. I thank the Naperville Police Department for their work on this case and for the quick apprehension of the defendant. I thank the West Chicago and Elgin Police Departments as well as the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office’s K-9 Unit for their assistance. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Anna Derkacz and Helen Kapas for their efforts in securing strong charges against Mr. Ahmedyar."
"Domestic violence is an incredibly serious and dangerous issue that all too often escalates into violence, like what allegedly occurred in this case. I am grateful that the victim was not physically harmed and I want to commend the quick, coordinated response of our officers, detectives, and the Elgin Police Department, whose teamwork led to the swift arrest of Mr. Ahmedyar," Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres said "I also appreciate the guidance and partnership of DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his office throughout this investigation. We will continue to work vigilantly to hold offenders accountable and support victims every step of the way."
What's next:
Ahmedyar remains in custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 14.