Evanston Man Accused Of Threatening Friend With Shotgun

EVANSTON, IL — A retired construction worker is accused of threatening to kill his friend Wednesday in Evanston.

Donald Chastang, 67, of the 1900 block of Dodge Avenue, was arrested and charged with armed habitual criminal, a class X felony requiring a mandatory six-year prison term, and misdemeanor assault, records show.

Around 1 a.m., police got a call of an assault in progress by a man with a gun at Chastang's home. When officers arrived, they spoke to the caller down the block, who prosecutors identified as a friend of Chastang.

The witness said Chastang had been threatening her, telling her she would have to leave through the window or get "blown away," Assistant State's Attorney Moira Dunn said Thursday at his initial court appearance in Skokie.

Dunn said the witness informed officers that Chastang was still in his house with a shotgun. Police talked him out of his house, where he met with officers.

"A subsequent safety sweep of the residence was concluded," Dunn said. "Inside, officers located a Browning, 12-gauge Gold Fusion shotgun unloaded in bathroom."

Chastang, who is forbidden from owning a firearm due to past felony convictions, later admitted to having a shotgun in his house, and officers determined he had no firearm owners identification card.

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Prosecutors said Chastang had more than a half a dozen felony convictions, most recently for a 2013 burglary charge. His defense attorney said he is a retired construction worker who has four adult children.

Associate Judge Anthony Calabrese said the constitutionality of the search of Chastang's home could be challenged in future court proceedings. In the mean time, Calabrese ordered Chastang detained unless he can come up with the $500 cash portion of his bail.