(WHEATON) A west suburban man accused of vandalizing a Lombard synagogue on Tuesday has been ordered held on a $5 million bond.
John White, 40, is charged with one count each of committing a hate crime, criminal damage to property, possessing a firearm without an FOID card and institutional vandalism, all felonies, the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office said.
About 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Lombard police responded to a 911 call about a disturbance at Etz Chaim Synagogue at 1710 S. Highland Ave., a statement from prosecutors said.
They found White driving recklessly all over the synagogue property, both on and off the pavement, prosecutors claim. Seven of the synagogue’s windows had been smashed.
White was arrested, and a search of his home turned up thousands of rounds of ammunition, a shotgun, rifle and four handguns, police said.
“The charges against Mr. White are extremely serious,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the statement. “Hate crimes have a devastating effect not only on the victims themselves, but on the entire community.
“DuPage County is built on the strengths of our communities and an attack on a religious institution is considered an attack against the entire community.”
White, of the 0 to 100 block of Tartan Lakes Drive in Westmont, was ordered held on a $5 million cash bond Friday, the state’s attorney’s office said.
He will next appear in court Nov. 17 in Wheaton.
