Bail Set at $500,000 for Husband Charged With Attempted Murder in St. Charles Shooting Incident

ST. CHARLES, IL - Bail has been set at $500,000 for 65-year-old St. Charles man who has been charged with attempted murder following a domestic incident that ended with shots being fired a St. Charles neighborhood and the suspect being tackled, and held down, by the District 303 School Board president, according to online jail records.

Scott J. Turyna, of the 400 block of Hunt Club Drive in St. Charles, remained in custody at the Kane County Jail Thursday afternoon after he allegedly fired bullets in the direction of of his wife and the school board president's wife, Diane Spurling, on Tuesday evening after Spurling came to the victim's aid. One bullet ended up inside a St. Charles home -- only about 30 feet from where a teenage resident was at the time, Deputy Chief David Kintz, of the St. Charles Police Department, said in a press release.

The shooting incident stemmed from an argument over financial matters between Turyna and his wife. Turyna threatened to kill the woman and began to move “aggressively toward her.” The wife picked up the phone to call police and Turyna knocked the phone out of her hands. He pushed her down on the kitchen floor, sat on her chest and started punching her in the head and upper body, Kintz said.

“He let her up and walked towards a cabinet where his wife knew a handgun was stored,” Kintz said. “She ran out of the garage and crawled under the garage door as it was opening.”

At that same time, school board president Steven Spurling, and his wife, Diane, were walking by. Kintz said the couple helped the victim up and started to walk her away, “sensing that something was not right.” Turyna came out and tried to explain that the woman had just fallen.

Diane Spurling started walking with the victim to get her away. Turyna walked after them and produced a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber 5-shot revolver and began firing in the direction of the two women, Kintz said.

"One shot went off and then another. It took a second or two for me to register what was happening,” Spurling said.

When he did, he quickly grabbed the shooter and tackled him to the ground. He estimates that a total of four shots were fired. Spurling got the handgun and threw it away from the area. He then held the suspect down until police arrived.

RELATED: School Board President Tackles Shooter Who Opened Fire in St. Charles Subdivision

The victim ran to a home in the 500 block of Steeplechase Road, screaming that she needed help, police said. A teenager let the injured woman into the home. The woman was later taken to Delnor Hospital with extensive injuries.

During a search of the home on Steeplechase Road, a bullet was found inside.

“Evidence technicians found that a bullet had gone through the siding of this particular house, passed through the living room and was found in the dining room,” Kintz said. “The juvenile had been in a family room about 30 feet from where the bullet was found.”

The juvenile was not injured.

The gun in the incident was recovered and contained five spent shell casings. Police searched Turyna’s home and found 26 firearms and about 3000 rounds of ammunition, police said. Turyna did have a valid Firearm Owner Identification card.

Scott Turyna now faces several charges. He is charged with one count of attempted murder, a class 1 felony; two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, a class X felony; one count of aggravated domestic battery, a class 2 felony; and one count of interference with the reporting of a domestic violence, a class A misdemeanor. Turyna remained in custody Thursday morning.

Police have not been called to the home in the past for any domestic-related reports.

Turnya must post $50,000 to be released from jail, and, if he is released, he will be required to wear an alcohol monitoring device, the Daily Herald reports. If convicted on the most serious charge, Turnya could face between six to 30 years in prison.

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