WASHINGTON COUNTY — Combined bail of $6 million has been set for a 41-year-old rural Centralia man charged with a half-dozen Class X felony charges in Washington and Perry counties in connection with firing shots at police officers Tuesday morning in DuQuoin at his home on Irvington Road in Centralia.
Bail for Nathan Johnson was set at $1 million Thursday in Washington County where he was charged Tuesday afternoon with Class X felony aggravated discharge of a firearm at a police officer.
Then on Thursday, Perry County set bail for Johnson at $5 million on five Class X felonies for firing shots at two DuQuoin police officers while using a laser sight on his weapon.
Two of the Perry County charges accuse Johnson of two counts attempted first degree-murder, one for aggravated discharge of a firearm at a police officer’s vehicle, one for aggravated discharge of a firearm at a police officer, and one aggravated battery with a firearm for injuries caused to a DuQuoin officer.
According to the Perry County State’s Attorney’s Office, each Class X charge is punishable by between 20 and 60 years in prison if convicted and Johnson is extended term eligible.
According to Illinois State Police, at approximately 1:20 a.m., Tuesday, officers from the DuQuoin Police Department were investigating a reckless driving complaint of a suspect later identified as Johnson, when they were reportedly shot at multiple times. One officer returned fire, and a pursuit ensued. During the pursuit Johnson continued shooting at officers and the pursuit ended when he reportedly struck the DuQuoin police chief’s squad car.
Pursuing officers lost sight of Johnson’s vehicle and it was later located on U.S. Route 51 in rural Washington County by officers with the Centralia and Wamac Police Departments.
Johnson again fired at officers striking a Centralia police car as he drove to his residence, jumped onto a four-wheeler and fled into a wooded area.
After a standoff, and phone negotiations with Centralia police, Johnson surrendered and was taken into custody. There were no injuries reported during the entire incident.
Johnson appeared in Washington County court Thursday morning with Centralia attorney Eddie Veltman and bail was set at $1 million. He’s next due in court September 18 for a preliminary hearing.