APPLETON, WI — The suspect in a drive-by shooting failed to open his own car window before he shot, with the broken window ultimately leading to his arrest.
Andrew J. Burwitz, 20, 45 Diane Lane, Appleton, was charged Wednesday in Outagamie County Court with four counts of first- degree reckless endangerment, four counts of endangering safety by reckless use of a firearm, disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property and placed on a $25,000 cash bond.
A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 11.
Burwitz is suspected of shooting at two residences, his ex-girlfriend's house on Meadowbreeze Court in the Town of Buchanan and another house, apparently chosen at random, on South Tahoe Court in Appleton, in Calumet County.
According to court documents, the occupants of the house in the Town of Buchanan were awakened about 2 a.m. Monday to the sounds of breaking glass.
They saw a car driving off and found two bullets had struck the exterior of the house and three had entered the living room.
None of the four people in the house was injured. The ex-girlfriend was attending school out of state.
Sheriff's deputies examining the area found broken auto glass in the street, and, later that day, contacted area auto glass repair shops and found Burwitz had his car window replaced after filing an insurance claim.
Burwitz was taken into custody and admitted to shooting at the house and to firing a single shot at the Appleton residence as well as firing shots in a wooded area at the end of the street.
A search of his residence and car turned up a 9 mm handgun and spent shell casings.
Burwitz said he had been drinking heavily before the shootings.
Charges are expected to be filed in Calumet County for the second drive-by shooting.
Source
