Willie Wiseman
CARMI, Ill. – Carmi Police Chief Jason Carter has issued information on the major incident that occurred in town earlier today, Tuesday, July 31, and the events that precipitated it the night before.
Carter said that at approximately 9:14 p.m. Monday, July 30, Carmi police initiated a traffic stop on a green Honday Foreman 4-wheeler that was westbound on Robinson Street at Locust Street, The officer identified the driver as being Willie R. Wiseman, 34, knowing Wiseman to have an active warrant out of McCracken County, Kentucky, for multiple offenses including Fleeing Police, Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession of Stolen Firearms.
Wiseman did not stop, and a pursuit was initiated. Wiseman turned southbound onto Walnut Street and made a left onto private property at Ratcliff Street; he failed to negotiate the turn and went down an embankment where he struck a tree, then fled on foot.
A lengthy search of the area was conducted by Carmi Police, White County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois State Police and the Norris City Police Department and Wiseman was not immediately located at the time. A search of the 4-wheeler revealed a backpack and several drug-related items. The 4-wheeler was towed from the scene by Cherry Street Automotive.
On July 31, Carmi police received information that Wiseman had made it back to a residence at 206 Olive Street where he had been staying. Officers observed a maroon vehicle being driven by Randall Flowers arrive at 206 Olive Street at approximately 10 a.m. Carmi PD and the White County Sheriff’s Department approached the trailer and attempted to make contact with Flowers at the residence, but he failed to answer the door. Officers then observed drug paraphernalia inside the parked vehicle. Flowers exited the residence. The pipe was retrieved with a positive test for cannabis. A search of the vehicle revealed more illegal drug items. Also located inside the vehicle were four firearms, two of which had been reported stolen out of Hamilton County. Flowers was arrested and transported to the city/county jail. Flowers was charged with Possession of Meth, Possession of Hypodermic Syringes, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Firearms by a Felon, Possession of Stolen Firearms by a Felon, and unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon.
Officers continued surveillance of the residence to ensure no one came from or went to it. Officers later received information that Wiseman was still inside the residence and was armed and had stated that he would be in a shootout with police. At that time a Nixle alert was sent out to Carmi residents and a call was made to the Illinois State Police Tactical Response Team for additional assistance. Several law enforcement personnel began arriving on scene to assist. A larger perimeter was set up around the residence and officer began evacuating area residents as a safety precaution. White County State’s Attorney Denton Aud prepared information to seek a search warrant for the residence located at 206 Olive street, and ISP Tactical Response Team arrived on scene; the search warrant was signed and later executed. The White County Ambulance Service was notified and later arrived for standby medical support and an Air Evac helicopter landed for medical support as a precaution prior to the search warrant execution. During the execution of the search warrant, ISP TRT used their armored vehicle which contained a battering ram on the front to breach the residence after making numerous announcements for the residents to surrender and after using flash bangs around the residence. After breaching the residence via the front door, front window and side window, numerous announcements were made for further force to be used to gain compliance. Wiseman eventually opened the west door and exited the residence where he was taken into custody. Wiseman advised he was injured from the 4-wheeler accident and was transported by ambulance to Hamilton Memorial Hospital where he was later released. Wiseman was transported back to the city/county jail. A search of the residence located ammunition and several illegal drug items. Flowers’ vehicle was later towed from the scene by Don’s Bumper to Bumper.
In addition to the $10,000 cash bond warrant out of McCracken County, Wiseman was also charged with Possession of Meth, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Hypodermic Syringe, Unlawful Use of Weapon by a Felon, and Possession of Firearm Ammunition by a Felon. Additional charges are expected to be filed Wednesday by Aud in connection with the pursuit and illegal drug findings from Monday.
The Carmi Police Department was assisted by the White County Sheriff’s Department, Norris City Police Department, US Marshal Service, Illinois State Police ISP Tactical Response Team, Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, White County Ambulance Service, and Air Evac. The Carmi Police Department wishes to thank all those agencies that assisted in this effort. CPD wishes to apologize for any inconvenience that was caused by the perimeter staging and road closures, but these things are necessary for the safety of both law enforcement and the public.