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Officers stun DUI suspect who drove car through sunken lawn at Lindenwood

News-Democrat

A young man was arrested for suspected DUI Tuesday night in Belleville after he struck a car and then drove across the sunken lawn in front of Lindenwood University, according to St. Clair County Sheriff's Master Sgt. Clinton Mason.

The suspect's car finally came to a rest on West Main Street, a couple of blocks east of where the original crash occurred at about 9:45 p.m. Officers stunned the driver with a Taser when he bailed out of the car, Mason said.

His two passengers were not arrested. No serious injuries were reported.

Lindenwood University in Belleville - Tim Vizer/BND

The suspect's car sustained heavy damage to its front-end. A shorn front bumper, pieces of broken concrete and track marks provided evidence of his off-road journey.

The suspect, whose name and age were not immediately available, cussed at officers while they investigated the crash.

Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/11/01/1925005/impromptu-lawn-job-across-lindenwood.html#ixzz1ceQGeYzG

'I was just freaking out': Freeburg mom fights off car-jacking attempt at Eckert's

BY KEVIN BERSETT - News-Democrat

BELLEVILLE -- Kimberly Wachtel was parked on Eckert's rear lot Wednesday afternoon when a wild-looking shirtless man appeared out of nowhere.

"He told me, 'Lady get out of the car,'" Wachtel, 39, of Freeburg, said.

But Wachtel refused to budge. He told her he had a gun and reached behind his back

Eckert's in Belleville Farm was the location of an attempted carjacking on Wednesday evening. - Zia Nizami/BND

 

"He said, 'I'm going to shoot you if you don't get out of the car,'" Wachtel said.

She said shoot then.

The man never displayed a gun and eventually fled the scene when some Eckert's employees intervened on Wachtel's behalf.

What was the minivan-driving mother of a 6-year-old son thinking when she was fighting off her attacker?

"I was just freaking out," Wachtel said.

In one week, two passengers in separate incidents caught with guns on MetroLink

Posted on May 25, 2011 at 11:01 PM (KMOV) – In one week, two passengers in two separate instances were caught carrying guns aboard MetroLink trains in the Metro East. In each case, deputies found the guns while checking passengers’ tickets.

The St. Clair County Sheriff’s office says on Saturday, a deputy asked to see a woman’s ticket at 5th and Missouri. Police say she opened her purse and the officer saw a loaded pistol. In a separate case, the sheriff’s office says Torry Harris did not have a ticket, but he did have warrants out for his arrest. An officer searched the man’s backpack and found a loaded gun. Metro says these incidents are rare. Last year, out of 12,000 citations, around 10 involved passengers carrying guns on trains.

The two people arrested did not have conceal and carry permits. Even if they did, they would still face charges for carrying the guns on the train. St. Clair County has 12 deputies assigned to patrol Metro trains. The most common violations involve passenger loitering or riding without tickets.

FELONY DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL

On May 19^th, 2011 at 11:45 PM, during the Parkfield Terrace Operation, Inv. Scott Toth stopped a White Chevrolet Pickup because the driver did not have a seat belt on. The vehicle was driving very fast towards several Deputies who were parked on the side of the road at Moussette at Lorraine Drive, Cahokia. The driver had a suspended driver’s license and was highly intoxicated. He was arrested for Felony DUI. On May 21^st, 2011 St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly charged the subject with FELONY DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL and a Judge issued a $25,000.00 bond.

The subject, Travis Barton  listed below is still in the St. Clair County Jail:

INDECENT SOLICITATION OF A CHILD

On May 19^th, 2011 Dep. Thomas Peters was dispatched to the 200 block of Carlyle East near Belleville reference to indecent solicitation of a child. A 26 year old suspect (family friend) was sending sexual text messages to a 14 year old female minor. The victim had requested the friend to buy chewing tobacco for her. He did and then told her she owed him a sexual favor. She declined. The suspect went to church with the family and did some work around the house. The indecent solicitations went on for several years, in person prior to this report, but the victim did not tell anybody because she was afraid. Dep. Peters placed the cell phone into evidence with the numerous text messages. Dep. Peters responded to the suspect’s residence and questioned the suspect. Subsequent to the questioning the suspect was placed into custody. During the arrest the suspect started yelling at his wife, in front of the Deputy, that she caused this by “refusing him”. The suspect was identified as: Joseph A. Adams

Inv. Scott Toth was assigned the investigation and had the cell phone forensically analyzed and conducted several interviews. On May 20^th, 2011 St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly charged the subject with two counts of INDECENT SOLICITATION OF A CHILD and a Judge issued a $75,000.00 bond.

Anyone with any information regarding this suspect or who could have been victimized by this suspect are asked to contact Inv. Scott Toth at 618-277-3504 x5776.

AGGRAVATED UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON

On May 14^th, 2011 at 3:00 PM Sheriff’s Metro Deputy Chris Davis was on an eastbound train at the East Riverfront area checking patron’s fares. He asked a male subject for proper fare and the subject said he did not have a ticket. Deputy Davis then requested identification to confirm his identity for a violation citation. The subject was identified as: Torry C. Harris

Dep. Davis then confirmed through law enforcement computers the subject had three active warrants for his arrest. Dep. Davis handcuffed and secured the subject and upon searching his backpack found a loaded black Smith and Wesson .38 caliber pistol. The subject’s Illinois FOID card was also revoked. The subject was transported to the St. Clair County Jail and held, where he remains today. On May 16^th, 2011 St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly charged the subject with AGGRAVATED UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON and a Judge issued a $40,000.00 bond.

Parkfield Terrace crackdown: 80 officers arrest at least a dozen in show of force

BY KEVIN BERSETT - News-Democrat

An unincorporated St. Clair County neighborhood infamous for its lawlessness got a major injection of law and order Thursday night.

About 80 local, state and federal law enforcement officers descended on Parkfield Terrace as part an organized effort to clean up a neighborhood that has been the scene of two unsolved murders the last eight months and dozens of other crimes.

Officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, and the Belleville, Cahokia and state police went house-to-house in the neighborhood near Cahokia looking for major and minor crimes and arresting anyone with an outstanding warrant.

Members of law enforcement walk down LauraLee Drive in the Parkview Terrace subdivision on Thursday evening. photo by Zia Nizami - Zia Nizami/BND

Six charged after gun battle in Cahokia

St. Clair County, IL (KSDK) - Saturday, St. Clair County investigators and prosecutors announced criminal charges against six men, in connection to the so-called rolling gun battle that took place in unincorporated Cahokia Wednesday night.

Some suspects in St. Clair County shootout arrested

BY DENISE HOLLINSHED

 

The four people police are searching for in connection with a gun battle March 30, 2011, in the Cahokia area are (clockwise from top left): Demond M. Eckford, 27, of Cahokia; Marco B. Orr, 22, of Belleville; Anthony D. Garner, 20, of Cahokia; and Terrion H. Willis, 28, of Centerville.

Related Stories

• Rolling gun battle in and around Cahokia leaves two wounded

ST. CLAIR COUNTY • At least two of the four men wanted in a shootout earlier this week in St. Clair County were arrested early Friday.

Terrion H. Willis, 28, of Centreville, and Anthony D. Garner, 20, of Cahokia, were taken into custody by Belleville Police at 1:44 a.m. at an apartment in the 2400 block of Frank Scott Parkway in Belleville.

Both are being held at the St. Clair County Jail, but it was unclear if they had been charged.

St. Clair County deputies took a third subject into custody from inside the apartment. Information on that person has not been released.

Police said Thursday that they considered Willis and Garner armed and dangerous suspects in a shootout Wednesday on the parking lot of County Line Quick Shop, in the 2900 block of Camp Jackson Road between Cahokia and Centreville. One man was shot in the shoulder and another one was shot in the head as several men in several vehicles exchanged fire.

Its unknown if the third person taken into custody is one of two other men authorities were seeking in the shootout: Demond M. Eckford, 27, of Cahokia and Marco B. Orr, 22, of Belleville.

 

WANTED FOR INVESTIGATION OF ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE

Demond M. Eckford

09/10/1983 (27 Y.O.)
29 Donna Drive
Cahokia, IL 62206

Subject has one active warrant

Marco B. Orr

10/10/1988 (22 Y.O.)
2407 Frank Scott Apt. 4
Belleville, IL 62223

Anthony D. Garner

157 Amelia Drive
Cahokia, IL 62206

Subject has one active warrant

Terrion H. Willis

06/10/1982 (28 Y.O.)
608 Jefferson
Centerville, IL 62205

Possible suspect vehicle is a black 1994 Pontiac Firebird temp. plate 689M735

On 03-30-2011 a shooting at or near County Line gas station with two subjects shot. Subjects shown are WANTED FOR INVESTIGATION and should be considered ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

If you have any information regarding this please contact Inv. Matt Jany at 277-3505 ext. 5712 or Sgt. Mike Hundelt at 277-3505 ext. 5734

CrimeStoppers is offering up to $1,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s).