Man accused of attempted murder in McHenry held without bond

A Lake Villa man accused of firing a gun at McHenry homes and vehicles during the early morning hours of March 31 after being rejected by a woman at a house party is being held without bond in the McHenry County jail.

Nicholas C. Lopardo, 25, was charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, as well as aggravated discharge of a firearm at an occupied building, possession of a stolen vehicle and stolen firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to a news release from the city of McHenry Police Department and the criminal complaint.

Tim Lloyd, Lopardo’s defense attorney, and Assistant State’s Attorney Randi Freese appeared in court Monday and agreed to argue the state’s motion Friday to have Lopardo remain held without bond.

Citing his current charges and past convictions, including charges of domestic and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, Assistant State’s Attorney Hunter Jones said in the motion that Lopardo “poses a real and present threat to the physical safety of any person ... and that no combination of conditions of bail can reasonably assure the physical safety of any other person or persons.”

In the motion, Jones outlined the morning of March 31, beginning at a house party in the 3000 block of West Charlotte Avenue in McHenry where Lopardo was observed as “drinking heavily” while in the possession of a .357-caliber handgun.

“After making a sexual advance upon a female, which was rejected, (Lopardo) walked outside to the front yard area of the residence and fired multiple rounds in the yard before leaving the scene in a black Jaguar sedan,” according to the motion filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

An officer responding to a domestic disturbance report at the Charlotte Avenue house saw the Jaguar in the westbound lane of the 3400 block of West John Street, according to the motion. The officer, who was eastbound, made a U-turn and attempted to perform a traffic stop when the vehicle “fled the officer at high rates of speed.”

The officer followed the black Jaguar, reaching speeds of 55 mph in a 25-mph speed zone, in the area of North Green Street before he was ordered to terminate the pursuit.

Shortly after, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office received a call of an abandoned black Jaguar in the area of the 2500 block of Colby Drive.

After making a sexual advance upon a female, which was rejected, (Lopardo) walked outside to the front yard area of the residence and fired multiple rounds in the yard.

—  McHenry County assistant state's attorney's motion for denial of bail

When deputies arrived, they learned a Chevrolet Tahoe had been stolen from a barn in the area, according to the motion.

“Home surveillance footage from the area shows (Lopardo) emerging from the Jaguar with a bottle of liquor on the roof of the Jaguar before entering the barn,” according to the motion.

Lopardo allegedly then drove the Chevrolet to a McHenry County Conservation District property “where he used the vehicle to ram the gate and enter the property,” according to the motion.

Lopardo got out of the Tahoe went into a building and “fired at least 10 gunshots,” according to the motion. “Four rounds were recovered. Also recovered from the property were a fragment of a light, believed to be a portion of the headlight from the stolen Chevrolet, and a hat.”

Later, a McHenry police officer was southbound on Barreville Road as Lopardo was traveling the same road in the opposite direction and “fired at least one round at her vehicle, which struck the driver’s side passenger’s door-frame between the front and backseat windows,” according to the motion.

Lopardo also is accused of shooting at another vehicle being driven by a mail carrier who was delivering mail in the area of Route 31 and Veterans Parkway. At least two rounds struck her vehicle, hitting the radiator and the front grill before puncturing a tire, according to the motion.

A short time later, a Chevrolet Tahoe was reported in a ditch in the area of south side State Park Road as “numerous calls” were being made to 911 from “homeowners reporting that an individual was throwing rocks through windows and attempting to gain entry,” according to the motion.

Reports of gunfire also were also made by people in that area. At least one resident reported their garage was struck by gunfire, according to the motion.

“Multiple” residents reported seeing a man “walking around the neighborhood and attempting to gain access to homes. One video depicts (Lopardo) raising a gun and firing,” according to the motion.

A call then came in from a resident in the 1700 block of Cashel Lane who said someone was “in her basement where her husband stored multiple firearms and firearm ammunition.”

An officer saw a Lopardo “running from the area of the home and attempted to pursue (him) on foot,” but did not catch him.

“Shortly afterward, a police officer who responded to the area in an unmarked Ford truck received a tap to his window by someone who identified himself as “Nick.” Lopardo was arrested after “a brief foot chase,” according to the motion.

On the morning these events occurred, Lopardo was on bond from Lake County on charges of manufacturing or delivering more than 500 grams of marijuana and driving under the influence of alcohol. He has had previous convictions and served time in jail and prison for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and domestic battery, according to the motion.

Attempts to reach Lopardo’s attorney Monday were not successful.