Illinois Cuffs & Collars – November 2nd, 2012

Region I

A District 1 CPO testified at a sentencing hearing that on Nov. 19, 2011, at approximately 5:33 a.m. a fatal firearms deer hunting incident occurred in JoDaviess County in which an East Dubuque man mistook another hunter for a deer. The incident resulted in the death of an Inverness man and the injury of that man’s juvenile son. All three were firearms deer hunters. Sunrise on Nov. 19, 2011, was 6:55 a.m and legal firearm deer hunting hours started at 6:25 a.m. On Jan. 6, 2012, a Grand Jury issued a two count indictment for the offenses of involuntary manslaughter (Class 3 felony) and reckless conduct (Class A misdemeanor) against the East Dubuque man. Additionally, he was issued citations by CPOs for deer hunting prior to legal hunting hours (Class A misdemeanor) and unlawful possession of a loaded shotgun prior to legal deer hunting hours (Class B misdemeanor). On June 14, 2012, a plea of guilty was entered on the charge of involuntary manslaughter. All other charges were dropped. On Aug. 2, 2012, the East Dubuque man was sentenced to two years probation, 180 days of work release and ordered to pay court costs.
A CPO observed four males in their early 20s fishing and drinking beer in Bureau County. After observing each individual fishing, the officer approached them through the woods instead of walking directly though the open area to their location. The officer was able to walk within 20 feet of them undetected. He observed a male pull a bag of cannabis out of his pocket and shove it into a pipe. The officer walked out of the woods taking all four individuals by surprise. The male tried to hide the cannabis and pipe, but knew he was caught and turned it over to the officer. The group was walked back to their cars where another pipe and more cannabis were seized. Two individuals were issued citations for fishing without a license. One individual was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of greater than 2.5 grams of cannabis.
A CPO was walking the campground at Starved Rock State Park. He witnessed a vehicle pull into a campsite and numerous individuals get out. An individual immediately got into another vehicle and left the campground. The vehicle came back a minute later. Seeing the suspicious activity, the officer went to a nearby vacant campsite and listened to the group. A male was bragging that he stole firewood (from the campground store). The male continued bragging, stating that he stole two bundles and could get a third one if needed. The male stated that he removed the plastic wrap, so that wood could not be tied back to the campground store. The officer left the nearby site and returned with his patrol vehicle. The officer recovered the plastic wrap from the wood in their trash and the firewood that had two handles identical to that sold in the campground store. The male admitted to prying back the fence and stealing two bundles of firewood. He was arrested for theft under $500. The site was also over capacity and the entire group was evicted.
A CPO in Winnebago County responded to an outside agency assist regarding an individual who decided he wanted to drive his Jeep Wrangler into the Rock River to reach a sand/rock bar in the middle of the channel. This act resulted in the man submerging his Jeep in the channel and rutting up the streambed. A bystander decided to back his Jeep Cherokee into the river to pull the man out but this act resulted in a second Jeep getting stuck in the river and rutting up the streambed. The local police jurisdiction arrested the two individuals under their village ordinance for driving off of their city parks road and pollution of waterways. The CPO cited the individuals for a violation of the Streambed Protection Act.

Region II

A CPO found a subject fishing the Des Plaines River without a fishing license. Illinois State Police advised the subject had an outstanding Lake County warrant from 2008. The subject was transported to Lake County Jail and issued a citation for no fishing license.
A subject cited for an undersized northern pike was fined $290 in Lake County Court.
A CPO encountered a subject fishing on the Fox River with an over limit of smallmouth bass. The subject also was in possession of a smallmouth bass under the minimum size limit. Appropriate enforcement action was taken.
CPOs arrested a subject fishing along the Fox River at the Chain O’ Lakes State Park for possession of cannabis less than 2.5 grams, possession of a controlled substance (141⁄2 Xanax pills), and unlawful use of weapon (metal knuckles).
While checking fishermen for compliance along the I&M Canal, a CPO opened a tackle box and located a loaded .22 caliber handgun. The subject did not have a valid FOID card. He was interviewed on his intentions with the firearm, but could not present the officer with a valid, legal reason to possess the weapon. The pistol was seized, and the subject was arrested on two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Region III

A CPO arrested two Decatur men for removing scrap metal from the Shelbyville Fish and Wildlife Area in Moultrie County. He cited the driver for operating a vehicle with suspended license plates and later had to tow the vehicle when they failed to remove it as agreed.
CPOs responded to a personal injury boat accident involving two personal watercraft on Lake Shelbyville in Moultrie County. An Urbana juvenile ran over the back of another PWC in his party. A juvenile female from Urbana was transported to Carle Hospital and admitted with injuries including broken bones.
While returning home from Walnut Point State Park, a CPO observed a vehicle driving over the center line into oncoming traffic. The vehicle was traveling at speeds over 65 mph. The driver then would apply the brakes and slow down. Prior to the vehicle stopping, the driver would speed back in excess of the speed limit. The CPO stopped the vehicle and found the driver from Tennessee to be intoxicated. Drug paraphernalia and 10 to 30 grams of cannabis were recovered. The driver was transported to jail.
CPOs, while working boat patrol on Lake Shelbyville, arrested a Chicago man for Operating a Watercraft Under the Influence of Alcohol. The subject had a 0.174 BAC.
District 11 CPOs responded to numerous complaints of dead deer in, or around, water from EHD.
A CPO responded to a complaint of a pile of dead deer dumped with ear tags near Stewardson. It is assumed the captive herd fell victim to EHD. The CPO is investigating with enforcement action pending.
While relaying district equipment, a vehicle passed a CPO while another vehicle was approaching in the other lane. Both the CPO and the approaching car had to take evasive measures to avoid a collision. The CPO caught up with the passing vehicle and made a traffic stop. The driver was a Virginia resident and was cited for driving while license suspended, speeding and illegal passing.

Region IV

The District 13 sergeant and Monroe County CPO were in a jon boat working the Kaskaskia River for fishing and boating violations when they observed a truck (without a boat or trailer), drive front first down a boat ramp. The truck was driven by an adult male and there were two young children in the cab with him. When the truck was fully on the slope of the ramp and at the water’s edge, the driver repeatedly jerked the truck forward while the children screamed. He then backed up and parked in the parking lot and exited the truck with an open beer. As the officers approached from the river, he attempted to hide the beer in the open cargo door of a nearby van. An identification check revealed he was a revoked driver due to a previous DUI. He received citations for the open alcohol and operating a vehicle with a revoked drivers license.
A District 13 sergeant and Monroe County CPO were in a jon boat working the Kaskaskia River for fishing and boating violations when they observed a jon boat approaching toward them from upstream. The CPO operated his boat from the center of the channel closer to the east bank to allow more passing room. The approaching jon boat mirrored their boat movements and headed directly toward them for several seconds before cutting back to the west bank. This caused the CPOs some concern and they stopped the boat for a safety inspection. Open alcohol was present and the operator was impaired, failed sobriety tests and recorded a BAC of 0.196.
A Monroe County CPO was working late at night for coon hunters when he located a truck stopped on a back road. The driver was urinating in the roadway and the CPO could clearly see open alcohol on the console through the open door of the truck. The subject’s wife and a friend were called to drive him home due to his borderline condition. The CPO issued a citation to the truck driver for the illegal transportation of open alcohol while they waited for his wife and friend to show up.

Region V

A CPO is investigating a break-in to one of the storage buildings at Pyramid State Park. The entry door to the building was forced open yet it appears nothing was taken. A CPO is working in conjunction with the Perry County Sheriff’s Office as numerous burglaries to buildings around the county have occurred.
A CPO apprehended a subject running trotlines in one of the Pyramid State Park lakes in violation of the two pole and line only rule. Additionally, the subject did not have a fishing license.
A CPO responded to a report of a person who was injured while diving off a cliff at Kinkaid Lake. The subject dislocated his shoulder after diving from approximately 20-25 feet above the water. During the CPO’s interview with the subject, it was learned he had dislocated this shoulder on at least two other occasions. He also wanted the CPO to know that alcohol was not a factor in this incident but stupidity was.
A CPO responded to three different locations in Williamson County with reports of blue tongue deer deaths. One of the deer was a 16-point antlered deer in velvet found floating in a private pond.
A CPO and district sergeant handled campers in a restricted area of the Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area. Several adults and minors were camping and having a party on the Goshen Trail Unit. Citations were issued for camping in a restricted area, minor consumption of alcohol and driving vehicles off the roadway. The CPO took one camper to jail on a warrant. One truck was towed from the scene. McLeansboro Police Department assisted, releasing the juveniles back to their parents. A District 19 trooper stopped a couple vehicles trying to leave and issued illegal transportation of alcohol citations.
A CPO took a report of a female deer that had died of blue tongue in a pond in Williamson County.
A CPO responded to, and is investigating, a female deer that was shot with a .22 caliber in rural Williamson County. The reporting parties had been squirrel hunting on private property and reported two subjects fled the property on ATVs when they had arrived to hunt squirrels.
A CPO conducted an inspection of a licensed taxidermist in Williamson County. No violations were found.
A CPO responded to a fishing without permission complaint on private property in Williamson County. The two subjects had legal access from one owner of the strip cut. The CPO caught the subjects fishing without permission, over the limit of largemouth bass, no wearable life jackets, no license in possession and no valid registration.