Alton Police Charge Two After Shots Fired At Occupied Vehicle

ALTON – Residents of East Alton and Wood River face felonies in two connected cases for their alleged involvement in shots fired towards an occupied vehicle.

Peyton A. Maddox, 18, of Wood River, and Jeremiah E. Thornton, 18, of East Alton, were both charged on April 16, 2026 with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm (both Class 1 felonies) and aggravated unlawful possession of weapons (both Class 4 felonies). Maddox also faces a Class 4 felony count of obstructing justice.

On April 11, 2026, Thornton allegedly discharged a firearm in the direction of a vehicle he knew or should have known was occupied by another person. He also reportedly carried an “assault rifle pistol” in a vehicle which was uncased, loaded, and immediately accessible at the time of the offense and was unlawful for him to possess given his lack of a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card.

A petition to deny Thornton’s pretrial release from custody states he “got out of his vehicle in a residential neighborhood with a nearby open business” before he “fired multiple rounds at another vehicle.”

On the same day, Maddox, “or one for whom he is legally responsible,” allegedly knowingly discharged a firearm towards an occupied vehicle. He is additionally accused of concealing physical evidence in the form of shell casings in an effort to obstruct the prosecution of Thornton for aggravated discharge of a firearm.

Maddox was also reportedly in possession of a pink Glock 43X 9mm handgun which was uncased, loaded, and immediately accessible at the time of the offense. His possession of the weapon was unlawful as he had also not been issued a valid FOID card.

A petition to deny Maddox’s pretrial release states he “parked his vehicle and allowed his passengers to get out with the intent to shoot at another vehicle while in a residential area and [with] an open business nearby.”

The Alton Police Department presented both cases against Thornton and Maddox, both of whom were ordered remanded to jail for their initial appearances in court.

All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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