Sycamore man facing dozens of charges after allegedly threatening to kill several people
A Sycamore man is facing more than two dozen charges following allegations that he threatened to kill several people who were trying to move out of a Washington Township home, and fired a weapon in their general vicinity during an incident last month.
Wayne Brian Mitchell, 52, is facing four felony counts of aggravated assault and a felony count of prohibited possession of a firearm, four misdemeanor counts each of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats and disorderly conduct; an additional misdemeanor count of resisting arrest; and four summary counts of harassment.
Mitchell was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Glenn Bates following the incident on Dillie Road on Feb. 23.
According to the criminal complaint, police came to the home around 8 p.m. for a report of a suspect who shot a firearm and threatened to kill several people. When state police troopers arrived, they saw Mitchell trying to flee in his vehicle.
Police said they gave verbal commands for Mitchell to get out of the vehicle, but he did not. As troopers tried to remove him from the driver’s seat, he refused allegedly resisted. Once he was removed, police contended he resisted being placed in handcuffs.
Once Mitchell was in custody, police spoke with the four alleged victims, who reported that they were moving out of the home when Mitchell got angry and shouted threatening statements at them; he then began throwing objects in the upstairs of the residence and fired one round from a firearm out of a window, the complaint states.
The victims then reported they heard what sounded like a round being chambered into an additional firearm, at which point they left the residence and tried to get into their U-Haul truck. The complaint alleged Mitchell came up to the U-Hail, brandished a revolver-style handgun and told them, “I can dig a hole fast and bury all of you.”
Police said Mitchell was not allowed to have a firearm because of a prior conviction. Court paperwork indicated he pleaded guilty in June 1993 to corruption of minors, which prohibits him from owning a firearm.
The complaint does not identify any connection between Mitchell and the four alleged victims.
Following arraignment, Mitchell was released from custody after posting $10,000 straight bail. He faces a preliminary hearing before Bates at a later date.