Man Sentenced To 120 Years In Attempted Murder Of Romeoville Police Officers

ROMEOVILLE, IL — A Berwyn man has been sentenced to 120 years in prison, two years after he was charged with the attempted murder of two Romeoville police officers, the Will County State's Attorney's Office said.

Samer Hernandez, 31, has been in custody since May 2023, after he fled a stolen vehicle in Romeoville and shot at police, Patch reported at the time.

During the incident, Romeoville Police Officer Dominic Thielmann was shot in the shoulder, and the bullet exited under his chin.

Patch reported at the time that Hernandez was originally charged with "armed habitual criminal," which was due to the "defendant knowingly [possessing] a firearm," since Hernandez was carrying a 9 mm handgun and a SKS 7.62-caliber rifle, after he was convicted of the offenses of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in Cook County.

Hernandez was sentenced on Thursday to 70 years in prison for the attempted first-degree murder of Thielmann, which will be served consecutively to a 50-year for the attempted first-degree murder of Francisco Garcia, another Romeoville Police Officer.