Police: Romeoville Man Fires Off Shots After Parking Lot Fender Bender

A Romeoville man is accused of venting his anger over a hit-and-run crash by firing several gunshots into a residential area, police said.

Lionel Gallego, 49, is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm and possession of a firearm and ammunition without a Firearm Owner Identification card following a Wednesday morning incident at his home in the 700 block of Rogers Road.

Romeoville Assistant Police Chief Steven Lucchesi said a neighbor called police around 8:42 a.m. to report hearing two to three gunshots.

“It appeared that people were in the home,” but no one answered the door when police arrived, Lucchesi said.

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Gallego’s wife, 38-year-old Jennifer Fontana, told police that nothing was amiss, according to Lucchesi.

“She was saying initially that nothing had occurred,” he said. “She wanted police to leave. She insisted that she was OK and her husband was sleeping.”

The couple’s teenage son was also in the home, police said.

When Fontana attempted to go back into the home against police orders, Lucchesi said she was handcuffed and taken to a police command vehicle. She was later charged with obstructing a peace officer and resisting a peace officer, police said.

Police were able to make contact with the teenager, who was also taken to a police vehicle while officers attempted to reach his father.

Gallego finally exiting the home after police ordered him out using a loudspeaker, Lucchesi said.

A search of the property turned up three spent shell casings outside the back door of the home. Police also got permission to open a locked safe containing a 9mm Ruger pistol, Lucchesi said.

Police said Gallego fired off the shots in anger after someone hit his car in the parking lot earlier in the morning at Life Time Fitness in Romeoville. Gallego allegedly claimed that he had been shooting at a raccoon in the backyard.

“There were conflicting stories,” Lucchesi said. “His wife also noted that he was upset about the damage to the vehicle … She said he was firing the gun up in the air.”

Lucchesi said Fontana was taken to the Romeoville Police Department, where she was set to post bond on her charges, both misdemeanors. Gallego was scheduled to be transported to the Will County jail on Wednesday afternoon.