WHITE CO., Ill. - Information about escapees from an Illinois Department of Corrections work release program were all over the news last week, with one being apprehended in White County, and the other still loose and considered armed and dangerous.
Sheriff Doug Maier outlined what happened this past Friday, February 15, when one of the two - a repeat crim in Clay and several other counties, such as Richland and Lawrence - was caught.
Maier said that on that morning at about 9:20 a.m., he and Sgt. Craig Poole responded to a report of a person matching the description of Kerr at a location on County Road 1775N, west of U.S. 45 in Enfield.
The two arrived to this scene and observed a subject laying in a field approximately 75 yards off the roadway in the rural location between Enfield and Springerton. The officers approached the individual, noting he was laying down, digging at the ground with his hands. Officers ordered the man to keep his hands visible, and he was placed into custody and secured in handcuffs. The officers report that the subject was very cold and delusional, so the White County Ambulance Service was called to the scene.
At that point he was identified as Timothy J. Kerr, 46 of Louisville, Ill. Maier noted that this wasn't the subject his office had been notified about as having escaped from IDOC; that'd be Eric B. Willett, shown here at left. But as it turned out, Maier said that his further investigation into the matter revealed that Kerr had escaped along with Willett. So Kerr was transported to Fairfield Memorial Hospital for treatment, and officers followed the ambulance to the hospital.
Maier and Poole returned and contacted and met with agents from the U.S. Marshal Service, the meeting going on in Enfield; Wayne County Sheriff Mike Everett was also assisting. Officers had reason to believe Willett might still be in Enfield.
As the result of that belief, five houses were searched in the village of Enfield. It was determined that Willett had been at several of these residences the night before, Thursday, February 14. No one was able to locate Willett, however.
A subsequent vehicle stop of individuals who had been at one of the residences that was searched led to two drug-related arrests.
Maier stated in press release material that his department believes Willett has left the area, but there's been no confirmation of that at this time. Maier said that if anyone knows of Willett's whereabouts, they are urged to contact local authorities. The information the department has indicated that Willett has a firearm, and is considered armed and dangerous.