Errant bullet hits man in house a mile away, suit claims

A Bethalto man says an errant bullet fired from a rifle at a shooting range hit him in the face while inside his house a mile away.

Clifford L. Spickerman filed a lawsuit April 3 in Madison County Circuit Court against Brent M. Masiero, David M. Chenot, Brandon J. Gibbons and Frankie L. Zarantonello.

Spickerman says he was in his home in the 500 block of Strohbeck Lane in July 2011 when he was shot in the face with a bullet from a Mosin Nagant rifle. At the time, according to the complaint, Masiero, Chenot, Gibbons and Zarantonello were target shooting in a field at the corner of Eighty Street and Walnut Drive in Cottage Hills, about a mile from Spickerman's house.

Spickerman contends one of the four defendants fired a round from the Mosin Nagant which he says is capable of traveling great distances. Spickerman accuses the men of negligence for reckless discharge of a firearm without a suitable barrier to prevent bullets from leaving the area.

Spickerman asks for more than $200,000 in damages for medical expenses and court costs. He is represented by attorney Lanny Darr of Alton.

Madison County Circuit Court Case No. 13-L-534