Illinois jury convicts suburban Chicago man of murder after road rage shooting

ST. CHARLES, Ill. - A Lake in the Hills man has been found guilty of murder in a 2020 road rage shooting that left one man dead and another wounded in Elgin.

What we know:

A Kane County jury convicted 26-year-old Dru K. Jarvis of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and armed violence, according to State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser.

Dru Jarvis

The backstory:

Prosecutors said the shooting happened in the early morning hours of Aug. 22, 2020, as Jarvis rode in a white sedan traveling south on Route 31 (North State Street).

In another lane, Francisco Trujillo-Uscanga, 41, was a passenger in a light blue Mini Cooper driven by his coworker. They were driving home from Huntley, where they worked.

When the coworker honked after Jarvis’ car tried to merge into their lane, Jarvis allegedly pulled alongside and opened fire. Trujillo-Uscanga was hit in the torso and later died at AMITA Health St. Joseph Hospital. The driver was also struck several times in the legs but survived.

A week after the killing, on Aug. 29, 2020, Jarvis was involved in another shooting in Elgin. He was later convicted in that case and sentenced to four years in prison for aggravated discharge of a weapon. Prosecutors said that investigation ultimately helped police connect Jarvis to the deadly road rage shooting.

What they're saying:

Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Stajdohar said the case shows how quickly anger can turn deadly.

"This tragic case is a stark reminder of how quickly anger behind the wheel can turn into irreversible violence," Stajdohar said. "There was absolutely no reason for this shooting: someone honked a horn, and an innocent man lost his life."

What's next:

A judge scheduled Jarvis’ next court appearance for Dec. 3 at the Kane County Judicial Center for motions. He faces a minimum of 96 years in prison. Each of the murder-related charges carries an additional 25 years to life because prosecutors proved Jarvis personally fired the gun.