Suspect involved in Savanna shooting, pursuit was granted pretrial release 3 days prior

SAVANNA, Ill. – The suspect involved in a pursuit-turned-shooting with police in Savanna last week was granted pretrial release on a previous charge three days prior to the incident.

Mark Feltmeyer, 59, of Freeport, who was shot by officers in Savanna after leading them on a multi-county pursuit last week, was booked into the Stephenson County Jail on Tuesday. He faces several new charges including Criminal Damage to Property, Aggravated Fleeing and Aggravated Assault, jail records show.

On June 23, three days before the pursuit-turned-shooting, Feltmeyer appeared in court for a hearing on the state’s petition to keep him in jail as he awaits trial for a theft charge, but the judge ruled against the state and Feltmeyer was released from jail with conditions, court records show.

According to the criminal complaint I obtained Tuesday, Feltmeyer is accused of stealing a white Ford F350 pickup truck from Freeport-based construction business Helm Group in May, which matches description of the truck in the pursuit.

Feltmeyer was initially granted pretrial release for the theft charge but was put back in custody after failing to appear at his June 18 court date, all before being released again on June 23, court records show.

According to police, on June 25, shortly after 10.p.m., officers located the truck in Freeport and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver got away after nearly striking a squad car and another passing vehicle.

Later that night, a Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Deputy located the truck near Hanover and initiated a short pursuit before the chase was ultimately called off again, according to officials.

Officials say the chase resumed around 3:40 a.m. when the truck was located near Savanna.

At around 3:45 a.m., the truck is seen on video slamming into two homes and backing into a squad car on Chicago Ave. in Savanna when gunfire suddenly erupts and officers request an ambulance on a rush.

According to officials, the driver was airlifted to a regional hospital where he spent several days recovering from his injuries. The extent of his injuries and current condition are unknown.

Multiple officers from the Savanna Police Department, Mount Carroll Police Department, and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office were injured and taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Officials have not provided an update about the officers’ condition.

Feltmeyer is a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history dating back to 1999 for various crimes in Stephenson County. He also became a registered sex offender in 2022, according to Illinois State Police.

A court date has not yet been set for the new charges, but a preliminary hearing for the theft charge is currently scheduled for July 17 in Stephenson County.

Illinois State Police is handling the arrest and leading the investigation. A source tells me they are soon expected to release more details about the pursuit and officer-involved shooting.