A New Berlin man has been ordered to surrender his firearms, had his travel restricted, and must undergo a court-required mental health exam after allegedly waving a gun at an Illinois State Senator.
54 year old Michael L. Hoyle of New Berlin was ordered by Sangamon County Judge Ryan Cadagin to undergo a mental-health evaluation and won’t be allowed to travel throughout the United States freely after a ruling today.
Cadagin modified several conditions of Hoyle’s release that originally were imposed after Hoyle posted $15,000 bail on March 16th. Hoyle had allegedly threatened Chicago State Senator Elgie Sims at gunpoint on the west side of Springfield in traffic on the evening of March 15th after Sims was leaving session at the State Capitol.
According to the State Journal Register, Sims attended the hearing today accompanied by about 20 Democratic senators and Senate staffers, including Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park, Senators Robert Peters, Mike Simmons and Sara Feigenholtz, both of Chicago, and Senator Julie Morrison of Lake Forest. Neither Sims or Hoyle testified in the hearing today.
Hoyle plead not guilty yesterday to charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a felony, and misdemeanor counts of aggravated assault and unlawful use of a weapon in the incident. The felony charge carries a maximum potential penalty of one to three years in prison.
Cadagin ruled Hoyle can travel to and from Kentucky for an upcoming graduation event involving one of his sons, and to and from Florida, where Hoyle has another home. Other out of state travel must be approved by the court.
Cadigan also ruled that Hoyle must turn over all of his firearms beyond the gun and ammunition confiscated by police at the time of the incident. According to the SJ-R, Hoyle’s attorney said Hoyle already has transferred his firearms to an unidentified “third party,” but Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright and Cadigan said the firearms must be handed over to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department.
Hoyle’s attorney also argued against a mental health evaluation, saying that his client had no previous documented mental illness or treatment.
A pre-trial hearing has been set in the case for July 12th.