Joliet man charged with recklessly firing gun following argument about taxes

A Joliet man is accused of hitting a woman following an argument over taxes, firing a gunshot into a garage wall and then driving under the influence of alcohol afterward, according to prosecutors.

On Saturday morning, Luis Calderon, 33, was transported to the Will County jail on charges of reckless discharge of a firearm, domestic battery, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a handgun by felon and driving under the influence.

Will County Judge James Harvey approved a request by prosecutors to keep Calderon in jail under the SAFE-T Act after finding his pretrial release would pose a danger to other people.

About 4:34 a.m. Saturday, Will County sheriff’s deputies were sent to a residence in Joliet regarding a “domestic problem” and they learned a woman had an “argument about taxes” with Calderon, according to a court filing from prosecutors.

The woman alleged Calderon had struck her in the face, took out a firearm, pointed it at her and then “shot a round into the garage wall,” prosecutors said.

Calderon had driven away from the residence in a pickup truck, prosecutors said. When deputies located Calderon in his vehicle, they alleged he appeared “highly intoxicated,” prosecutors said.

Back at the Joliet residence, deputies found a loaded handgun inside of a toolbox in the garage and a spent shell casing, prosecutors said.

A criminal complaint alleged Calderon was in possession of a handgun after he was convicted of a felony offense in a 2017 case.

In that case, Calderon had been charged with recklessly firing a gun into the air on Collins Street and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.

However, prosecutors dropped the reckless discharge of a firearm charge in exchange for Calderon pleading guilty to aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, court records show.

Calderon was sentenced to two years of probation.