COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — The man accused of shooting a 61-year-old woman in her neck Tuesday night was driving more than 100 mph while fleeing from police, prosecutors said.
Manuel Martinez, 33, is accused of firing shots into the 61-year-old victim's living room in McKinley Park about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, striking the woman in her neck.
The victim's son is currently dating Martinez's ex-girlfriend, Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said during a bond hearing Friday. Martinez had threatened the girlfriend on the phone and broke her car windows prior to the shooting, Scaduto added.
When the ex-girlfriend brought up the windows with Martinez, he told her she was lucky it wasn't the entire vehicle, prosecutors said.
On Tuesday night, Martinez shot at the 61-year-old victim's house in the 3700 block of South Wolcott Avenue before speeding off, according to prosecutors.
Police spotted Martinez's car a few minutes later, Scaduto said. When officers tried to curb the vehicle, Martinez got onto the I-55 Expressway, where he drove more than 100 mph trying to evade police.
He eventually crashed near the junction of I-55 and I-294 and was arrested, officials said.
Martinez, 33, of the 2000 block of West 35th Street, was charged with one count of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count of aggravated fleeing from police, police said in a statement.
He also was cited for driving without insurance, no headlights and not having a valid driver's license. He was held on $300,000 bail by Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan Friday.
The 61-year-old woman was discharged from the hospital, but she still has a bullet lodged in her neck, Scaduto said.
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