Recoveries during Attorney General Madigan's tenure top $14 billion for State of Illinois

ILLINOIS - Attorney General Lisa Madigan today announced her office collected $864 million in revenue on behalf of the state through litigation and collection efforts in 2017. Since Madigan took office, her office has collected over $14 billion on behalf of the state.

The revenue collected for the state by Madigan shows that for every dollar of taxpayer funding her office received, she generated $28.01 back to the state.

“Since becoming Attorney General, I have brought in more than $14 billion for Illinois, including nearly half a billion dollars in funding for our state’s pension systems as the result of the 2008 financial crisis,” Madigan said. “I am proud of my work to generate needed revenue for the state of Illinois especially during difficult economic times.”

The revenue collected by Madigan in 2017 included $19.5 million for Illinois pension systems from a settlement with Moody’s Investors Service to resolve an investigation into its marketing and sale of risky residential mortgage-backed securities leading up to the 2008 economic collapse. In addition to this settlement, Madigan has reached six other settlements – with Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Standard & Poor’s – stemming from investments in mortgage-backed securities that resulted in recovering over $450 million for the pension systems.

Madigan’s office also collected over $339 million through collections litigation, including cases involving the collection of funds for damage to state property, child support enforcement, fines and penalties. Madigan also collected more than $250 million through tobacco litigation and more than $254 million in estate tax revenues.

In addition to recoveries for the state, Madigan’s Consumer Fraud Bureaus mediated nearly 25,000 complaints in 2017 and provided more than $6 million in mediated savings for Illinois consumers.

HAMILTON, GALLATIN, SALINE COs., Ill. - A couple of special patrols were held this past weekend - and in the case of Saline, the month of April (so far) in three of our coverage counties - Hamilton, Gallatin and Saline - by Illinois State Police, and ISP has released the results of these.

Here are the results from the Roadside Safety Check (RSC) held in Hamilton County from late night Friday, April 6, to early morning Saturday, April 7, 2014, at Illinois Route 14 and Illinois Route 142 in McLeansboro, by District 19 officers.

ISP says alcohol and drug impairment is a factor in more than 30 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois, and throughout the U.S., nearly 10,000 people die each year due to alcohol-impaired driving. RSCs are designed to keep our roads safe by taking dangerous DUI offenders off the road.

An Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrol (OREP) was held in Saline and Gallatin counties in April. No dates, times or locations were issued.

Most motorists know safety belts save lives, but some ignore their safety and that of their families by neglecting
to use safety belts and child restraint devices. These patrols reinforce the occupant protection message by focusing on those who ignore the law. Lives can be saved if people simply “buckle up!”

These projects are funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation and use your tax dollars in order to do so.

MARION CO., Ill. - A man from Michigan who was a passenger in a vehicle that struck a parked truck last night lost his life in the collision, said Illinois State Police.

The two-vehicle accident occurred on Interstate 57 in Marion County last night (Wednesday, April 11) at 9:02 p.m.

ISP said a 2017 Chevrolet Express being driven by Jesse Lee Meacham, 22, of Warren, Michigan, was northbound on 57 at milepost 117 when the vehicle ran off the roadway to the right and struck a 2007 Volvo truck tractor semi trailer being operated by William Dennis Fuller, 56, of Phoenix, Arizona. The Volvo was parked on the shoulder of the highway.

Meacham was transported to St. Louis University Hospital by Air Evac; Fuller was uninjured. Meacham’s passenger, Shane Michael Donegan, 20, also of Warren, Michigan, was fatally injured and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Marion County Coroner.

Citations were issued for Improper Lane Usage, Driving While Disqualified, Expired Medical Card, Parking Where Prohibited, and Disobeying Controlled Access Highway Provisions, according to ISP; however, they did not specify which driver received which citations.

MARION, Ill. - The Marion Police Department Narcotics Unit (MPDNU) executed a search warrant at a residence in the 100 block of N. Otis Street this morning, Thursday, April 12.

The search warrant was obtained through a narcotics investigation identifying Jaryan G. Brock-Brantley (black male, 29 years of age) as a distributor of cocaine.

A tactical entry was conducted to gain entry into the residence with the assistance of the Marion Police Department Emergency Response Team.

A search of the residence was conducted and detectives recovered and seized multiple controlled substances, packaging materials, weighing equipment, United States currency, and MPDNU prerecorded official advanced funds.

Jaryan G. Brock-Brantley was conveyed to the Williamson County Jail awaiting future court proceedings for the charges of Delivery of a Controlled Substance Within 500 feet of a Protected Area (Class X Felony) and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Class 1 Felony).

Steven Linder

CROSSVILLE, Ill. - A White County sex offender registered in Crossville and trying to prove he was registered apparently didn't think ahead yesterday when he asked Sheriff Doug Maier in to his residence.

Steven E. Linder, 35, residing on Goodman Street in Crossville, was the subject of a White County warrant on a 2018 charge of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender (annual registration).

Sheriff Doug Maier and Sgt. Craig Poole went to Linder's residence to serve it, and Linder invited Maier inside in order to "show him a paper showing Linder had registered," according to Maier's report.

Maier noted that Linder was alone in the residence. He also noted that while inside, he observed several items of drug-related material on the living room table in plain and open view. These included a glass bowl with glass pipe, glass multi-colored smoking pipe, a piece of glass with a razor blade, a wooden box with a broken glass smoking pipe in it, and a metal Altoids container with several small plastic bags.

Linder advised Maier that the pipe was to smoke marijuana and said the plastic bags were empty.

Linder was transported to the White County Jail. Maier then noted in his report that a small plastic bag tested positive for meth, and so Linder was held at the jail on $3,000 cash bond on the warrant, and Possession of Meth (no bond on that).

Palestine High School, Wikimedia Commons

PALESTINE, Ill. - Palestine Police Chief Jeff Besing reports today that a 17-year-old male juvenile was taken into custody today on a charge of violating an order of protection.

Besing said the Palestine Police Department was contacted by Palestine High School staff yesterday (Wednesday, April 11) at approximately 2:30, advising that one of their students had an active OP in place against an ex-boyfriend. The ex - the juvenile male in question - was seen within 100 feet of the high school, which constituted a violation.

At approximately 9 a.m. this morning (Thursday, April 12), the 17-year-old male subject was again seen near the high school and upon being alerted, Chief Besing responded and took the 17-year-old male juvenile into custody without incident.

The male juvenile was transported to the Crawford County Jail, where he was being detained on the Class A misdemeanor charge.

Palestine High School staff followed their procedures and the security of the high school and safety of the staff and students was never compromised.

BRIDGEPORT, Ill. - Authorities in the city of Bridgeport in Lawrence County are asking for the public's help in identifying a subject who appears to have broken into some gambling machines at an establishment in town.

Bridgeport Police Department is asking for help to try and identify the subject, shown in the accompanying photo.

Anyone that may know this subject is asked to get in contact with Bridgeport Police Department at 618-945-3322 or chief Scott Murray's cell 618-928-3279. Murray has asked that no names be posted; just call if you happen to know who it is.

Authorities are also asking that you please share this post across all your social networking pages, as the more eyes on it there are out there, the better the chances this person will be identified.

JACKSON CO., Ill. - On April 10, 2018, Alphonso Pierre Allison, 47, a/k/a “Pierre,” “P,” and “Perry,” of Carbondale, was sentenced to federal prison for drug and firearm offenses, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced Thursday.

Allison, who had previously pled guilty to a three-count superseding indictment charging conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin, unlawful distribution of heroin, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 8 years’ supervised release, and was fined $600.00.

The offenses occurred between 2015 and July 2016 in Jackson County.

The investigation was conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, and Carbondale Police Department. The Jackson County States Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.

Kevin Carroll

KNOX CO., Ind. - This afternoon at approximately 2:30 p.m., Indiana State Police and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force arrested Bicknell Police Lieutenant Kevin Carroll, 47, for Official Misconduct and Criminal Recklessness.

The investigation was initiated in March after police received information that Carroll had shared sensitive information with a Daviess County resident. 

During the investigation it was revealed that Carroll allegedly compromised undercover drug operations and put undercover officers at risk by sharing sensitive material. 

Carroll was released from the Knox County Jail after posting a $5,000 bond.

Arrested and Charges:

• Kevin Carroll, 47, Bicknell, Ind.

1. Official Misconduct, Level 6 Felony
2. Criminal Recklessness, Class B Misdemeanor

Media Note: A mug photo was not available at the time of this release.

Investigating Agencies: Indiana State Police and FBI Violent Crimes Task Force; Martin County Prosecutor Mike Steiner is handling this investigation.

Charles Ethan Morehead

PALESTINE, Ill. - A tattoo artist in the Village of Palestine, as well as a second individual wanted on a warrant out of Lawrence County, were both taken into custody yesterday on very serious drug and weapons charges.

Palestine Police Chief Jeff Besing said that yesterday (Thursday, April 12), his department received information of illegal drug activity involving Inkphoria Tattoo, as well as a residence located in the 300 block of South Main Street in Palestine.

Besing initiated a drug investigation and as the result, he was able to submit information to Crawford County State's Attorney Matt Hartrich; a search warrant was issued and signed by Judge Mark Shaner.

As the result of the search warrant and investigation, Charles Ethan Morehead, 28 and Bethany D. Kiser, 23, both of Palestine, were arrested and transported to the Crawford County Jail in Robinson.

Morehead was charged with the following: Obstructing Justice, Class 4 Felony; Unlawful Possession of a Scheduled IV Narcotic, Class 3 Felony; Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Class 1 Felony; Unlawful Possession of Firearms & Ammunition, Class 4 Felony; Unlawful Possession of a Stolen FIrearm, Class 2 Felony; Unlawful Possession of Cannabis with the Intent to Deliver (Manufacture or Delivery of Cannabis), Class 3 Felony; Armed Violence, Class X Felony; and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Class A Misdemeanor.

Kiser was charged with the following: Obstructing Justice, Class 4 Felony; Unlawful Possession of a Scheduled IV Narcotic, Class 3 Felony; Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Class 1 Felony; Unlawful Possession of Cannabis with the Intent to Deliver (Manufacture or Delivery of Cannabis, Class 3 Felony; and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Class A Misdemeanor. Kiser was also wanted on an outstanding Lawrence County warrant for Failure to Appear on a Suspended License.

Both Morehead and Kiser were charged, processed and are being held pending bond being set by a judge.

DUQUOIN, Ill. - Illinois State Police (ISP) District 13 Commander, Captain Derek Wise, announces the ISP will conduct Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrols in Williamson County during the month of April 2018.

ACE patrols allow the ISP to focus on preventing, detecting, and taking enforcement action in response to violations associated with impaired driving and illegal transportation or consumption of alcohol or drugs.

The ISP has zero tolerance for impaired driving in Illinois. Officers working the detail will be watchful for drivers who are operating vehicles in an unsafe manner, driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, transporting open alcoholic beverages, and most importantly:

- Driving Under the Influence (DUI);
- Safety Belt and Child Restraint use;
- Speeding;
- Distracted Driving; and,
- All Illinois Vehicle Code and Criminal Violations.

Alcohol and drug impairment is a factor in more than 30 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. There is one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 53 minutes in the United States. The ACE program allows officers to work even harder at removing dangerous DUI offenders from the road. This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.

CARMI, Ill. - This article might be best subheaded "don't have a wreck if you're going to drive suspended."

Carmi officials report that a two-vehicle accident last night (Thursday, April 12) occurring right in front of a police officer resulted in the arrest and charging of a Crossville man for Driving Suspended.

The accident occurred in Bradshaw Park at a minute before 9 p.m. last night. At that time, Bailey Jean Chapman, 20, of a rural location in Carmi, was driving a 2014 Ford Mustang at the park, and was waiting to load a child (her brother) in the vehicle.

A 2009 Nissan van being driven by John T. Holloman, 41, of Crossville, stated he didn't see the Mustang and backed into it with his van.

This all occurred as a city officer, apparently on duty at the park, observed the entire thing.

As he was checking things in order to make the accident report, the officer learned that Holloman was driving on a suspended license, and Holloman was taken into custody on such a charge.

He was able to post $150 to secure his release.

George Hirschl

HAMILTON CO., Ill. - Hamilton County State's Attorney Justin Hood has announced the sentencing of a McLeansboro man in his county.

George Hirschl, 37 of McLeansboro, plead guilty to Aggravated Unlawful Restraint, a Class 3 felony, in a situation involving the mother of his children, Felicia Glenn, in early January 2017. Court documents show that he held her against her will for a total of four days.

You can read about that horror story at this link if you have an online membership to the e-Edition.

Hirschl received a sentence of 5 years, to be followed by a year of parole upon release.

James E. Johnson

WILLIAMSON CO., Ill. - The man who made the headlines here last week over his behavior at Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion has issued the most bizarre obit many people have seen in a long, long time.

Maybe, in fact, ever.

In an argument for sticking to a standardized form and not letting the grieving family members create their own obituary for the deceased loved ones, James Johnson is the author of this very strange tribute to his mother. Johnson's generally-odd behavior ratcheted up a few notches recently when his mother was hospitalized, and resulted in multiple Orders of Protection against him and limited time with her in the hospital, as outlined in the above-linked article.

It might be noted at this juncture that several Williamson residents pointed out, during display of the above-linked article, that Johnson was the guy who caused problems in an early-90s situation in Marion whereby he either shot up or threatened to shoot up various entities in town, so it was already well-established that he's pretty much off his rocker (we can say that because it was determined that he was, after that incident, and he got out of any meaningful punishment due to mental illness/insanity). It might also be noted at this juncture that the above-linked article didn't go into that out of deference to the fact that that wasn't what the article was about, contrary to the sniping and hateful remarks by people who are now banned from our page. These likewise won't be tolerated on social networking with this post, so be warned. The situation with this guy's problems is bad enough.

That clearly shows through in this obit, which we present here in full under the screencap of the lead text of it:

George Ann Johnson, 87, of Marion, went to be with her Lord Jesus in Heaven at 10:50 PM, Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion. She was still very warm when her son spoke to her after she was transferred to Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home in Marion. Her eyes were not fixed and dilated, and she had a faint carotid pulse. Her son got to tell her he loved her and then she grew cold.

George Ann was born First Fruits of the Great I Am on June 27, 1930 in Marion to Elmer and Minerva (Norman) Stapleton. She was the Marion High School Carnival Queen in 1948 and still holds today that reigning title. She married Dr. George Edward Johnson in Murphysboro in 1951. He preceded her in death on October 27, 1997. She was the only daughter of her mother, an only child.

She was a precious spirit filled Christian and very seldom had a bad word to say about anyone. She was as perfect a mother as a mother could be. George Ann was an active member of the Family Worship Center in Johnston City. She was given the key to the City of Marion and was a member of Delta Sigma Epsilon in her early adult life; she had been involved with numerous prayer groups. She will be dearly missed by her family and many friends.

Survivors include-

Son- Jim Johnson of Marion
Daughter- Grace Jean Schweizer and husband Brian of Georgia
Daughter- Georgette Johnson and husband Bill Snell of Jackson, MO
Grandchildren-
Brad Schweizer of Atlanta
Brett Schweizer of Kansas City, MO

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.

She was the greatest mother and housewife. She had worked for CIPS, F.W. Woolworth, Value Plus Pharmacy, and Lad and Lassie as a saleslady, all in Marion. She was the conservative Democratic precinct committee woman in Marion and was in an automobile following John F. Kennedy and RFK when they drove around the square in 1960. Due to her Christianity she changed political parties later in life. You would find mom and myself sitting out on warm sunny days in the gazebo off the front porch drinking coffee.

Mom loved to shop and go out to eat. She had a ministry of giving, usually her own clothing. She always gave more than she got back. Many times was taken advantage of. Nothing seemed to bother her much, easygoing. She would however get her feelings hurt because of close friends not living up to her expectations. Mom was the most well-rounded beautiful person you would ever know. Her father, husband and son weren’t always the nicest people. She had a fairly hard time growing up in the Great Depression. Mom was a very moral, spirit-filled Christian woman and had only one spouse. She had a strong value system of right and wrong. She was Precious, Precious, Precious. She loved to read books, watch Turner Classic Movies, the news, and Christian TV.

Mom had a strong desire for someone that never manifested in her life. This hurts me the most, her desiderata. If I could have only done more for her, especially at the hospital. Too many people have failed her. I told her last month I took her for granted in my youth, and apologized. She understood. She loved her Lord Jesus. You just don’t know what you have till it’s gone. I’m her one and only first born son. She has always been my best friend. Dr. Jack Keller use to say to her, “You’re a tough old bird”. She just spent over 3 months in Heartland Regional Medical Center. She indicated to me and her doctors she did not want to die. And, I can’t understand why she’s not here with us now. It’s all so unbelievable. Words alone cannot express my sorrow. She was and is the sweetest person I will ever know. We were committed to each other’s needs and cares. Now she is returned to her Creator, Yahweh, the Great I Am, That I Am.

The bottom of the obit gives details of the services, which we won't post out of consideration for the funeral home, which are probably and will probably be going through enough as it is.

Photo by Disclosure correspondent

WILLIAMSON CO., Ill. - Explanation of a March incident at a popular sports bar in Marion, as well as the hemming up of a couple of people from Harrisburg, highlights this week’s coverage of serious crime in Williamson County.

This week’s Felony Friday begins by answering questions many of you have had on the latest stabbing at Heartland Sports Bar. Charges were recently filed against 38-year-old Amos M. Nelson of Marion from an incident that happened on March 15, 2018. A female friend of Nelson had invited him to come to the bar that evening. The female was also accompanied by her boyfriend. During drinks and conversation, at one point Nelson is alleged to have touched the buttocks of the female friend and she asked him not to do so. This infuriated the boyfriend and a heated argument began between the two men. Later near closing, the female left the bar and so did Nelson not long after. The boyfriend witnessed this and also left and the couple began a verbal argument. Nelson is said to have hit the boyfriend in the head and the boyfriend grabbed Nelson by the back of the head, pulling him closer to keep from being hit. Nelson then is said to have stabbed the boyfriend several times. Not realizing he had been stabbed, a physical altercation continued. Nelson is said to have left the scene and the victim received treatment for his wounds.

Nelson is charged one count of Aggravated Battery With a Deadly Weapon. He was instructed not to have presence in any bars or lounges nor to have contact with the victim or his girlfriend. He is free on a $750 cash bond.

Jessica D. Boulton, 34 of Marion, has been charged with one count Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Reva C. Warnsman, 34 of Marion, previously of Harrisburg, has been charged with two counts of Retail Theft over $300, with the second being additionally that she was previously convicted of Retail Theft in Jackson County in 2017. She is accused of taking a total of 29 items valued at $439.68 before tax. She is said to have put those items into a Target bag and stuffed them in the bottom of her purse. She even tried unsuccessfully to return three of them at checkout. She is free on a $500 cash bond and is to have no contact with Target or Walmart.

Thomas K. Duffey, 55 of Springfield, has charged with Possession of Methamphetamine less than 5 grams. An officer from the Marion Police Department was dispatched to an address on Enterprise Way in reference to a man whom had refused to exit an ambulance after signing a refusal of treatment. The officer instructed Duffey to stand up and exit the ambulance. When Duffey stood up, the officer noticed a large buck knife as well as a black knife sheaf attached to his belt. Those items were removed and the officer asked Duffey for his identification and Duffey handed him his wallet. It was discovered Duffey was on parole. Duffey consented to a search of his person and inside his front coin pocket, police noticed a hard plastic item and asked Duffey what it was. Duffey’s reply: “Oh that? that’s nothing.” A further check of the object turned out to be a Listerine strip container which held two small bags of a white crystalline substance, which field-tested positive for meth 0.39 grams. Duffey was transported to the Williamson County Jail and is free on a $500 recog bond.

Jesse P. Parker, 33 of Harrisburg, has been charged with two counts of Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Cannabis between 10 and 30 grams and Possession of Methamphetamine. During a traffic stop on East DeYoung, an officer from the Marion Police Department noticed an open container of alcohol in the front floorboard of the vehicle. Also in plain view in Parker’s purse was a medical cannabis container that Parker did not have a license for. The officer asked Parker to step out of the vehicle and in the driver’s seat where she had been sitting were two joints. A search of the vehicle resulted in 0.4 grams of meth, 0.35 grams of heroin, 5 prescription pills of Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine (schedule 2 controlled substance) and a combined weight of 23 grams of cannabis all located in Parker’s purse. She is free on a $5,000 recog bond.

Stephan A. King, 40 of Marion, has been charged with one count each of Domestic Battery and Aggravated Domestic Battery. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Jason L. Reynolds, 36 of Carterville, is charged with Domestic Battery, Driving While License Suspended and two counts of DUI. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. A separate charge of Aggravated DUI has been added. Arresting agency Williamson County Sheriff’s office.

Michael A. Zentz, 34 of Carrier Mills, is charged with Possession of Controlled Substance. Arresting agency Marion Police.

Felony Dispositions

Tracy R. Bouchard of Ziegler received 30 months probation and 240 days in jail with credit for 151 days served for Retail Theft.

Kiffany Williams, 31 of Marion, plead Guilty to four counts of Possession of Controlled Substance and received 30 months probation, 26 days in jail with credit for time served. Two of counts Possession of Controlled Substance and one count of Possession of Meth were dismissed.

Charles D. Scott, 27 of Marion, plead Guilty to Theft/Stolen more than $500 but less than $10,000. He received 30 months probation and 30 days in jail with credit for time served.

Amanda I. Triplett, 37 of Herrin, gave No Plea to Bad Check/Obtain Control, charges dismissed

DUIs

Linda D. Edwards, 38 of Marion, charged with one count DUI, arresting agency Marion Police

Robert Colton Barton, 26 of Central City, is charged with DUI-Drugs, arresting agency, Illinois State Police

Heath Lewallen, 25 of Herrin, is charged with 2 counts DUI, arresting agency Herrin Police

Education, enforcement campaign to take place April 16-20

CLAY CO., Ill. - Each day, ten people are killed in distracted driving crashes - contributing to the 37,000 people killed in crashes on U.S. roadways during 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

To help bring attention to the dangers associated with driving distracted, the Clay County Sheriff's Office announced Friday that it will participate in a Distracted Driving Awareness Week April 16-20 and conduct an enforcement campaign of Illinois' distracted driving laws.

"No distraction - whether texting or talking on the phone - is ever worth the loss of life on the roadway," said Sheriff Andy Myers. "These senseless deaths can easily be prevented if drivers simply choose to focus on the core task of driving when behind the wheel. We aim to do our part to help keep Clay County roads safer."

The annual Illinois Distracted Driving Awareness Week is a coordinated effort between the Illinois Sheriff's Association, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP), AAA, the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Department Transportation, the Illinois High School and College Driver Education Association (IHSCDEA) and nearly 300 local law enforcement throughout Illinois to educate motorists about the dangers of driving while distracted and enforcing the laws on Illinois' roadways. Last year's DDAW efforts resulted in over 18,000 warnings and citations for distracted driving offenses.

In addition to traffic enforcement, Clay County School Resource Officer Chad Milner, in conjunction with Richard Rudy and Lisa Cash, COUNTRY Financial Representatives, plan to participate in educational activities with the North Clay School District. They plan to:

• Teach about the dangers of distracted driving in high school classes and/or assemblies
• Work with teens to display distracted driving posts around the community
• Promote distracted driving messages through department's social media channels
• Produce distracted driving videos and Anti-Distracted Driving pledges
• End the week with an assembly featuring the Top National Distracted Driving Speaker/Advocates Jacy Good and Steve Johnson

For more information on Illinois Distracted Driving Awareness Week, visit www.iddaw.org. These partnerships have been formed to help further a traffic safety culture in Illinois and to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries resulting from distracted driving. Please help the ISA, ILACP, AAA, COUNTRY Financial and the Clay County Sheriff's Office to keep Illinois roadways safe.

Allen Joseph Fisher

PERRY CO., Ill. - If authorities know what on earth prompted a Perry County man to allegedly gouge out another man’s eyes, they’re not saying.

However, Allen Joseph Fisher, 51, of Swanwick, is charged with crimes associated with that very thing.

The incident went down last weekend (Saturday afternoon, April 7), when for reasons unknown, Fisher is alleged to have “chased down” one Robert Pfister, 46, of Nashville in Washington County to the north of Perry, as Pfister was driving in western Perry.

Fisher is then said to have blocked Pfister’s vehicle, and the two got out and began a physical fight. The fight, it’s reported, ended in a roadside ditch, which is where Fisher if accused of gouging Pfister’s eyes.

Among the multitude of things Perry County isn’t disclosing about the incident is how on earth or whether anyone got to the scene of the fight in order to either break it up or report it, or whether Pfister was somehow able to notify authorities for help.

Whatever the case, someone got him help, and Pfister was airlifted to an undisclosed hospital in St. Louis, where, it’s said he might lose his eyesight.

Yesterday morning (Friday, April 13), at 7:30 a.m., after what’s presumed to be an investigation into the matter, authorities traveled to Fisher’s house in the community of Swanwick in northwestern Perry County and took Fisher into custody. The formal charge is Aggravated Battery Causing Disfiguring or Disabling Injuries.

Fisher, it might be noted, has a history of violence in Perry and is a convicted batterer, with his most recent case - a felony arresting charge pled down to a misdemeanor - coming in 2014. Previous convictions are in the misdemeanor-pled-down-from-felonies realm, too...including a 2005 case of Residential Arson that was so reduced about ten months after it happened. A 2010 misdemeanor battery conviction is also on file.

Whether he’s been able to post bond yet (or if one has even been set) is unknown…as are a lot of details in this horrific situation. However, ISP is in charge of the investigation, which, in Perry County, explains a lot, as they have a tendency to be very vague about stuff happening there, since that’s where District 13 headquarters are.

If you know any details about this case, feel free to post, here or at our many social networking pages.

MARION, Ill. - Back the Blue 5k was held this morning at Ray Fosse Park, and it was a well-attended event.

Proceeds from the run support the Shop With A Cop Program, Scholarship Fund And Death Benefit Program. Over 150 registrants signed up to run.

Above, Marion Police Chief Dawn Tondini and Assistant Chief JR (Tina) Morrow with her grandson, Jordan.

Above, First Circuit judicial candidates Steve Green and Jason Olson.

Location of the wreck

WHITE CO., Ill. - A single-vehicle crash early this morning in which a tractor-trailer drove off the interstate into the flooded Little Wabash River has claimed the lives of two men from Mississippi.

Illinois State Police in District 19 reports that the accident occurred at approximately 6:03 a.m. this morning, Saturday, April 14.

According to the preliminary traffic crash investigation, the driver of a white 2016 International truck tractor/semi-trailer combination, Michael C. Goffinet, 48, of Gulfport, Mississippi, was westbound on Interstate 64 in rural White County, when for unknown reasons he left the south side of the roadway at approximately the 124 Mile Post.

He proceeded to drive into the center median and then into the Little Wabash River, where the vehicle became submerged.

The bodies of Goffinet, along with a passenger, Charles A. Boggs, 36, of Petal, Mississippi, were recovered and pronounced deceased at the crash scene by the White County Coroner’s Office.

An Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit Officer and an Illinois State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer have joined the traffic crash investigation. In addition, ISP District 19 was assisted at the crash scene by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), White County Sheriff’s Department, White County Coroner’s Office, Little Wabash Fire Protection District, Fairfield Rural Fire Search and Recovery, Wayne County Ambulance Service, and Rick’s Towing Service.

EFFINGHAM CO., Ill. - A young Dieterich man was injured in an accident last night that involved an overcorrection and an overturn...and after which, authorities found open alcohol in his vehicle.

Levi G. Lidy, 22, wasn't charged with a DUI, however, just Illegal Transportation of Open Alcohol along with a handful of other infractions.

Illinois State Police out of District 12 Effingham report that the accident occurred last night (Sunday, April 15) at 10:24 p.m.

During this steering maneuver, Lidy over-corrected and put the Malibu into a skid when it reentered the roadway.

Lidy was transported by helicopter and ambulance to Carle Foundation Hospital in Champagne for treatment of his injuries.