On the morning of April 9, 2020, Frank Ryan sure seemed to be up to something nefarious.
Ryan, from tiny Waterman, Illinois, due west of Aurora, was out on $20,000 bond at the time for a January 2020 charge of attempted murder, and had been ordered to surrender any guns in his possession, as well as his Firearm Owners Identification, which the Illinois State Police subsequently revoked.
On this morning, though, Ryan was driving a pickup truck with a loaded shotgun, and had arrived at a location within sight of, and in close proximity to, the home of the intended victim of his alleged murder attempt. That location was behind a building in the 800 block of Hicks Drive in Elburn.
Unfortunately for Ryan, spring rains had saturated the area such that his truck got stuck in the mud, and he was forced to call for a tow truck. The tow truck driver, suspicious about why Ryan’s truck was where it was, called the Elburn police, who then found the shotgun inside Ryan’s truck.
It is impossible to know for certain, of course, but that thoughtful tow truck driver very well might have saved a life that day.
On Friday, Kane County Judge David R. Kliment found the 35-year-old Ryan guilty of the offenses of:
- Possession of a firearm – revoked FOID, Class 3 felony
- Aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, Class 4 felony, 2 counts
- Violation of bail bond, Class 4 felony
Ryan had waived his right to a jury trial and the case proceeded to a bench trial.
Ryan remains in custody at the Kane County jail, and will be sentenced for these crimes in early March. His trial for attempted murder remains outstanding.
Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Lori Anderson lauded the awareness of the tow truck driver in possibly preventing a tragedy.
“Thanks to the Elburn police for the thorough investigation, and to the alert tow truck driver who wisely made a report to the police when he sensed that something wasn’t right. His actions might have saved someone’s life,” she said in a statement after the verdict.
