On Thursday, December 1, 2022, Tyler Westefer was formally charged in the November 5th Drive-by shooting of a residence in the 500 block of Park Avenue and the South Park Street residence struck by a stray bullet. Tyler Westefer is in custody of the Henry County Jail on $325,000 (10%) consecutive bonds for two pending cases. Westefer has a Motion to Reduce Bond Hearing and to address bond forfeiture on his pending cases on Friday, December 2, 2022, at 1 PM. The new charges relating to the drive-by shooting are Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm by a School (Class X Felony), Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm/Occupied Building (Class 1 Felony) and Reckless Discharge of a Firearm (Class 4 Felony). Assistant State’s Attorney Katie Reynolds requested a $750,000 (10%) bond consecutive to the other pending cases. Emily Knox from the Public Defender’s Office represented Westefer for bond only and said they understand the severity of the charges and requested bond be set consecutive with the other cases, as the current bond is over $300,000. Judge James Cosby set bond at one million dollars on the new charges consecutive to the pending cases, which means bond is over one million dollars in total. Mr. Westefer indicated he intends to retain private counsel for the new case. A Preliminary Hearing is scheduled for December 5, 2022, at 2 PM. Preliminary Hearings for the other two cases are on December 5, 2022, at 1 PM.
The Charges allege that:
Count 1 of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm – Westefer knowingly discharged a firearm within 1000 feet of a school, that school being Irving School. (Class X Felony)
Count 2 of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm – Westefer knowingly discharged a firearm at a dwelling that he knew, or should have known, was occupied. (Class 1 Felony)
Count 3 of Reckless Discharge of a Firearm – Westefer discharged a firearm placing an adult female and a minor child in danger when a bullet entered the wall of the residence from outside the home. (Class 4 Felony)
A Class X Felony carries a sentence of 6 to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections followed by up to 18 months of Mandatory Supervised Release. A Class 1 Felony is carries a sentence of 4 to 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections but probation is also possible.
