A convicted felon charged with attempted murder after he allegedly opened fire on an occupied vehicle in Woodstock has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison, officials said.
Jason F. Spitzer, 40, of Woodstock, was sentenced Thursday to 13.5 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offenses of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by Felon, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, and Possession of Methamphetamine, McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announced.
The prison sentence was handed down by the Honorable Kane County Judge Yetter after entering a negotiated plea of guilty, Freese said.
Woodstock Police Department responded around 11:53 p.m. on August 19, 2024, to a report of shots fired.
Woodstock Police Chief John Lieb said officers met with the victim who stated that his vehicle was struck by gunfire.
Officers observed bullet holes in the victim’s vehicle, Lieb said. The male victim was not injured in the shooting.
An investigation revealed the incident occurred in the 600 block of Park Street in Woodstock. Evidence of the crime was located and collected, Lieb said.
Police officers were able to identify the suspected offender as well as the location where he was residing.
A search warrant was obtained and executed at the offender’s residence in the 600 block of McHenry Avenue.
Jason F. Spitzer, 39, and Lauren M. Sounde, 39, both from Woodstock, were taken into custody, Lieb said.
Spitzer was charged with attempted murder, meth delivery between 15-100 grams, aggravated discharge of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm.
Sounde was charged with meth delivery between 15-100 grams and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Spitzer fired four shots at the male victim, who was traveling in his vehicle.
The complaint said Spitzer intended to kill the victim. The vehicle was struck twice by gunfire.
Court documents said video evidence captured Spitzer firing the gun at the victim.
The complaint also said Spitzer is a convicted felon and unlawfully possessed a Taurus G3 handgun.
Spitzer and Sounde were found in possession of approximately 40 grams of methamphetamine, the complaint said.
Digital scales and a high quantity of drug packaging materials were also recovered from the apartment, the complaint said.
Sounde additionally possessed a clear plastic bag containing two separate plastic bags, which had psilocybin mushrooms weighing 22 grams, the complaint said.
Sounde has pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against her and is due back in court Oct. 10.
At the time, Spitzer was on probation for felony possession of methamphetamine in a separate case.
Freese said Spitzer was walking his dog near downtown Woodstock when he began arguing with an individual nearby.
When the individual drove past, Spitzer shot his handgun at the vehicle four times at close range.
A search warrant was executed at Spitzer’s residence, where the firearm was recovered by Woodstock Police.
Spitzer was detained in McHenry County Jail while awaiting trial.
Freese gave kudos to the “members of the Woodstock Police Department in their thorough investigation into both cases and continuing to keep the citizens of Woodstock safe.”