Illinois Cuffs & Collars – September 21st, 2012

Region I

During a detail on Lake Holiday, a District 6 CPO arrested an individual for operating a watercraft under the influence of alcohol. A large pontoon boat full of people came up to the club house docks. During a boat safety inspection the operator could barely keep his balance even though the boat was tied to a dock and the lake was calm. The officer was able to conduct horizontal gaze nystagmus, but the individual refused to submit to any other tests. At this point, the passengers of the boat started surrounding the officer and yelling. With the help of other officers on the detail, they were able to find a sober operator and had the boat leave the area. The officer transported the individual to the county jail. At the jail, the individual found out an OUI would not affect his driving record and agreed to submit a breath sample. An hour and 15 minutes after the officer made contact, the individual’s BAC registered 0.112 percent.
A District 1 CPO completed an ongoing boat accident investigation stemming from a June 24 boat accident. A Hampton resident was arrested for Reckless Operation of a Watercraft and Failure to Render Aid. The subject was taken into custody and transported to the Rock Island County Jail for processing.
District 7 CPOs responded to a missing person complaint that was filed in Tazewell County. The female subject was last seen on DNR property along the Illinois River. A check of the DNR property by ATV was unsuccessful. The following morning, sonar and surface checks began and the female’s body was found downstream. Autopsy results showed the victim died from drowning, and toxicology results are pending. The criminal aspect of this case is being handled by Illinois State Police Investigations.
As a District 1 CPO patrolled Mississippi Palisades State Park, a Jeep Wrangler was found stuck in the creek that flows through the park’s campground. The owner of the vehicle was issued a ticket for unlawful operation of a motor vehicle off the roadway. The vehicle was towed from the creek at the owner’s expense.
While patrolling in Rock Island County, a CPO and Rock Island County Sheriff’s Police located a vehicle parked under a bridge. Approaching the vehicle, two subjects came out of the brush near the vehicle. Both subjects were later arrested for the attempted illegal manufacture of methamphetamine. One of the subjects was also arrested for methamphetamine possession. The Quad Cities MEG unit was called for assistance.
A District 7 CPO, while conducting ATV patrols on DNR lands in Tazewell County, contacted six individuals riding ATVs and dirt bikes. Five individuals were issued citations for operating an off-road vehicle on public land without permission. The sixth individual (12 years old) was given a verbal warning for the same violation.
A District 7 CPO is investigating a case of bad checks being written for camping fees at Rice Lake Fish and Wildlife Area by following a process set up by the Fulton County State’s Attorney’s Office.
A District 1 CPO took enforcement action on a Dixon man who was observed operating a personal watercraft within 150 feet of a public boat ramp at a speed causing a wake. This violation was occurring as other boaters were trying to trailer their boats. The PWC operator was also cited for operating an unregistered watercraft. 

Region II

A CPO arrested two subjects for driving on a suspended driver’s license and one subject for driving without a license while on a general patrol of Des Plaines Conservation Area.
CPOs arrested a subject on Nippersink Lake for operation of a watercraft while under the influence of alcohol. The subject had a BAC of 0.111 percent.
CPOs arrested a subject on Grass Lake for careless operation of a watercraft after the male subject, with two young children on the back of his PWC, came near full throttle within 10 feet of another boat before turning abruptly and washing all occupants of the other boats with a massive wall of water.
A CPO arrested a camper at Illinois Beach State Park for possession of more than 2.5 and less than 10 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A CPO arrested a subject at Illinois Beach State Park for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended driver’s license and for a Lake County failure to appear warrant for possession of a controlled substance. The subject was transported to the Lake County Jail.

Region III

A CPO and district sergeant, while on boat patrol on Lake Shelbyville in Moultrie County, arrested an Urbana woman for operating a Findlay Marina rental boat under the Influence of alcohol, with a 0.142 percent BAC.
A CPO and district sergeant, while on boat patrol on Lake Shelbyville, arrested a Bethany man for Operating a Watercraft Under the Influence of Alcohol, OUI over 0.08 percent, Insufficient Life Jackets, Improper Passenger Location, No Battery Cover and Failure to Transfer Certificate of Number. The man had a 0.115 BAC. Two Decatur men on the boat were both arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Cannabis. All three subjects were transported to the Shelby County Jail.
CPOs responded to a call for assistance on Clinton Lake. A family on a pontoon boat became stuck in the silt near the center of the lake in the Parnell Basin where the water is extremely shallow. To complicate matters, the incident occurred during the day when temperatures reached the upper 90s. A jon boat was used by the CPOs to operate close to the pontoon boat where, after several attempts, the pontoon boat was finally dislodged. The family was rescued and safely escorted back to a boat ramp.

Region IV

A District 10 CPO was working recreational boating enforcement on Lake Taylorville when he observed a boat that appeared to be over capacity. The vessel was a small fishing boat rated for four persons; there were seven people on board, four of which were children under the age of 6. Only two of the children were wearing the appropriate PFDs. Appropriate citations and warnings for the violations were issued.
A District 10 CPO was working recreational boating enforcement at Lake Springfield when he observed a boat pulling a tube without the required observer. A stop of the vessel was made and the operator had a strong odor of alcohol coming from him. The subject was given field sobriety testing and failed. The subject was arrested for OUI and provided a breath sample showing his blood alcohol content as 0.091 percent.
A CPO was patrolling Horseshoe Lake State Park in Madison County and stopped a vehicle that was occupied by two adults and one small child. The child was not secured in the proper safety restraints. The subject was arrested for no driver’s license, no insurance, and the child restraint violation.
A CPO investigated a reported wrongful tree cutting near John M. Olin Nature Preserve. The CPO checked the area and found the neighboring property had been cleared by a neighboring property owner. No violations have been documented at this time.
A CPO was working a detail with fellow district officers at Lou Yaegar Lake in Montgomery County. He observed a white and blue boat approach the dock at Marina No. 2 and drop off a subject. The operator saw the CPO approaching and quickly pulled away from the dock. After several minutes, the subject finally came back to the dock and the CPO made contact with him and performed a boat safety inspection. The CPO had the subject perform field sobriety tests based on his observations. The subject failed the tests and was placed under arrest for OUI. The subject submitted to a breath test and had a blood alcohol content of 0.145 percent.
A CPO and district sergeant were working Eldon Hazlet State Park over the Memorial Day weekend. They were en route to launch a patrol boat when a call came in from Clinton County that a boat was sinking at the Allen Branch area. They proceeded to the location and gathered information from the occupant, who had been picked up and taken to the boat ramp. A tow service was contacted and the boat was towed back to the ramp. The boat was an older vessel, and it is believed that the transom was leaking and when the operator tried to come onto plane the motor stalled and the boat was swamped. The CPO completed a boat accident report.
A CPO was working Eldon Hazlet State Park when he received a call pertaining to a boat accident that occurred near the Boulder boat ramp. Three subjects were operating a small jon boat out of the no-wake zone. They attempted to pass a larger boat in front of them, but when they tried to cross the wake of the larger boat, the passengers were thrown from their boat. The operator tried to recover the boat before it capsized, and in doing so, struck a female passenger’s foot with the prop. The laceration required stitches. The CPO completed a boat accident report, and the appropriate enforcement action was taken.
CPOs setup a “buy/bust” on an individual advertising deer meat for sale in Madison County. One CPO worked covertly and purchased eight summer sausage stick and four packages of cheese brats for $80. As soon as the transaction was complete, the other CPO made contact with the subject and apprehended him.
A CPO was on assigned patrol in Frank Holten State Park when he stopped a vehicle for speeding. As they passed his location, he observed the passenger was not wearing a seatbelt. 
A CPO was working Lou Yaegar Lake in Montgomery County. While checking fishermen, he apprehended a subject in possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia. The subject was taken into custody and transported to Montgomery County jail.
A CPO was patrolling the Carlyle Lake area in Clinton County. He was in the Keyesport area checking boats at the launch when he observed a boat occupied by four adults and four small children. Only one child was wearing a lifejacket. A boat safety check was conducted and, based on observations by the officer, the operator was asked to perform sobriety tests. The subject failed the tests and was arrested for OUI. His blood-alcohol content was 0.094 percent.
A CPO was patrolling the Carlyle Lake area in Clinton County. He was working the Keyesport area when he observed a vehicle failing to stop at a posted intersection. The CPO stopped the subject and found open alcohol in the vehicle and detected the smell of alcohol on the driver’s breath. The driver was put through FST’s and failed. The driver was arrested for DUI and taken to the Clinton County jail. The driver refused to submit to breath testing thereby suspending the driver’s license for one year.
A CPO was patrolling the Carlyle Lake area in Clinton County. He was headed to the Keyesport beach area when he observed two subjects on a motorcycle who were not wearing eye protection. He stopped the motorcycle and found that it did not have valid registration and the Vehicle Identification Number had been removed. The driver had a suspended license. The motorcycle was impounded, and an investigation is under way as to whether or not it is stolen.
District 10 CPO was patrolling Sangchris Lake State Park when he went through the campground and observed underage subjects in possession of alcohol. He entered the campsite and found seven minors in possession of, and consuming, alcohol. All seven subjects were arrested for the violations and removed from the park.

Region V

A CPO responded to a complaint of Canada geese being shot in Wabash County. At the scene, he located 12 dead geese. Suspects were determined and after a short while a confession was obtained. The owners of the small campground took it upon themselves to rid the area of the Canada geese. The owners did not allow any hunting on the rural lake and did not realize there was a September season. After offering alternative solutions to the goose problem, the CPO issued the appropriate citations.
A CPO came across a structure fire in rural Williamson County. The unoccupied house was fully engulfed in flames and quickly spread to grass and brush surrounding it. The house was located along a fairly busy county road with several hills. After the fire department arrived, the CPO conducted traffic control at the scene for over two hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation and could have been caused by persons manufacturing meth.
A CPO cited a man for killing a deer without a permit and discovered another violation on administrative investigation for unlawful taking of a deer without a permit.
A CPO finished an administrative investigation on an individual using property only hunting permits. The man was cited for no valid permit and issued a warning for misrepresentation to obtain property only deer hunting permits in Franklin County.
A CPO was notified of a swimmer who drowned in the Ohio River, north of the Golconda marina. The drowning occurred across the state line in Kentucky waters. Authorities requested DNR’s assistance to recover the body. Three sonar boats manned by District 14 and 16 personnel scanned the river. The man was recovered by the CPO the following morning.
A CPO and district sergeant responded to a late evening boat accident on Rend Lake. A passing storm produced waves that capsized a fishing boat. Two of the four occupants were rescued by a camper with access to a boat. The other two swam to shore. The boat sank to the bottom of the lake.
A district sergeant responded to a boat accident on Rend Lake. An inexperienced boater, operating a rental boat, hit an underwater obstruction. A man fishing onboard was ejected. He suffered lacerations on his head, back and arms. He refused medical treatment. The operator headed north instead of south to the marina. The engine died shortly after the accident. The boat was towed back to the marina.
A CPO finished an administrative investigation in Franklin County. A man failed to tag a deer upon killing it.
A CPO was working an OUI detail at Forbes State Park. During a boat safety inspection, the operator was found to be a child sexual predator. The subject was arrested for being in a state park and transported to the Marion County jail.
CPOs and a district sergeant worked a detail at Forbes State Park. Two subjects were cited for possessing alcohol on the beach. The subjects had mixed drinks in Styrofoam cups and were extremely intoxicated.
A CPO responded to a call of a woman being bitten by a raccoon in Richland County and discovered that four raccoons had been taken from the wild and were being held as pets. The raccoons were taken to the Centralia lab and tested negative for rabies. Appropriate citations were issued.