Illinois State Police Arrests Suspect Within Hours of Road Rage Shooting on I-294
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2026
JUNE 11, 2026
DES PLAINES – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 1 Special Agents arrested 65-year-old Victor M. Fernandez of Morton Grove, IL after a road rage incident escalated into a shooting on I-294.
On June 8, 2026, around 8:35 p.m., ISP responded to the report of an expressway shooting that occurred on I-294 northbound near Touhy Avenue in Des Plaines. After an alleged road rage incident, the suspect fired a weapon at the victim’s vehicle. The victim’s vehicle was not struck and they were uninjured. Troopers quickly identified the suspect vehicle and dispatched the information to local police. With assistance from the Morton Grove Police Department, Troopers were able to locate the suspect at their residence. The suspect, identified as Fernandez, was taken into custody.
On June 10, 2026, ISP presented the case to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and Fernandez was charged with one count of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm (Class 1 Felony). He remains in custody pending his first court appearance. No further information is available.
ISP reminds the public that when it comes to aggressive driving, don’t lose your temper or your life. Road Rage. Don’t Engage. If you are the victim of road rage or believe a driver is following or harassing you, call 911 and/or go to the nearest police department to report it. For more information about how to avoid road rage or ISP’s “Road Rage. Don’t Engage.” campaign, visit the ISP website at: https://isp.illinois.gov/TrafficSafety/RoadRage.
The charge is not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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