Braidwood man charged with firing gun in direction of I-55 on Fourth of July

A Braidwood man will remain in jail after prosecutors claimed he recklessly fired a gun on the Fourth of July in the direction of Interstate 55.

Ronald Tvrz, 51, allegedly admitted to police that a 9 mm handgun with the serial number scratched off and a .22-caliber handgun were firearms he bought for $300 in Missouri, according to a court filing from Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Steve Platek.

However, Platek said Tvrz does not have a valid firearm owner’s identification card. Tvrz has been charged with possessing the firearms after he was convicted of felony robbery in a 1991 case.

“[Tvrz] also acknowledged being a felon and cannot have firearms,” Platek said.

Officers investigating the incident that led to Tvrz’s arrest learned from a witness that there was a party at Tvrz’s residence on the Fourth of July in Braidwood, according to Platek.

The witness said Tvrz and another man were shooting BB guns before Tvrz pulled out a 9 mm handgun and fired it about eight inches from the witness’s head, Platek said.

The witness’s ears were “ringing for a while as a result,” Platek said.

Tvrz was accused of firing multiple rounds into the ground before giving a man a bulletproof vest, Platek said. The two men then walked to the back of the property, he said.

Tvrz allegedly shot towards the man and in the direction of I-55, Platek said.

Witnesses alleged Tvrz used a 9 mm handgun to shoot the man who was given a bulletproof vest, Platek said.

When officers were searching Tvrz’s residence, they found a bulletproof vest with “impact points” in his closet, Platek said.

Will County Judge Derek Ewanic ordered Tvrz to remain in jail under the SAFE-T Act after finding his pretrial release would pose a danger to others and he was a flight risk, court records show.

Tvrz has been charged with aggravated and reckless discharge of a firearm, unlawful possession of a weapon by felon and defacing identification marks of a firearm.