A man was found guilty Thursday of shooting an acquaintance in the face during a March 2017 argument in west suburban Aurora.
56-year-old John W. Sperry, of the 300 block of Grant Place in Aurora, was convicted by a jury Thursday at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles on felony counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, and aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, according to the Office of the Kane County State’s Attorney. He faces a minimum sentence of six years, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Thursday that on March 4, 2017 Sperry drove to the home of an acquaintance about 4:40 p.m. in the 300 block of Jackson Street in Aurora in his 1988 Cadillac Brougham, where he remained in his vehicle while arguing with an acquaintance who stood in the driveway. Sperry then pulled out a .38 caliber handgun and fired a single shot that struck the acquaintance in the cheek and exited the back of his head, prosecutors said.
Sperry immediately drove away from the scene and was spotted by police near Ohio Street and Grove Street, authorities said. Sperry ignored signals to stop and led police on a 14 minute chase, ignoring multiple traffic control devices and speeding. Sperry was taken into custody after striking a utility pole at Claim Street and Lincoln Avenue, authorities said.
Sperry remains in custody at the Kane County jail, where he has been held since his arrest in lieu of a $500,000 bond that has now been revoked. The victim continues to recover from his injury, authorities said.
Circuit Judge John A. Barsanti set Sperry’s next court appearance for 9 a.m. on Feb. 7, in courtroom 319 of the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles.
Correction: The headline for this article originally read that the man was convicted of stabbing, not shooting, the victim. It has since been corrected.
