CARMI, Ill - A woman in Carmi felt the bite of new Saline County State's Attorney Molly Kasiar's intention to clear the docket of warrants after a well-being check found her with meth pipe in hand.
Carmi Police Chief Jason Carter reports that his department was called yesterday (Wednesday, March 27) at 9:19 a.m. by Egyptian Health Department to conduct a welfare check at a location on the 900 block of Stewart Street, where one Sarah McKenzie, 38, was supposed to be.
When police arrived, they found McKenzie...holding a glass pipe that later tested positive for meth.
After what's being described as a "lengthy conversation between the responding officer and Egyptian Health Department," McKenzie was arrested and charged with Possession of Meth and Possession of Paraphernalia.
However, a later check revealed that McKenzie was wanted out of Saline County on a 2015 felony warrant for Retail Theft.
Kasiar has been issuing a number of warrants on individuals who have failed to pay or appear, even on ancient cases like this one, probably in an effort to bring in much-needed revenue for the county as her predecessor two SA's back (the late Mike Henshaw) was attempting and which his successor, Jayson Clark (who lost to Kasiar in the 2018 election) didn't seem to want to bother with.
The warrant had a $2,000 bond with it, but it's unclear whether that was posted, as McKenzie was toted off to "another facility" for treatment, according to police reports.
The other incident to report coming out of Carmi is the arrest of a gal for driving without being licensed.
That incident, too, took place Wednesday morning (at 9:26 a.m.) when an officer stopped Jessica L. Smith, 32 of Maunie, for an expired registration, this occurring on Seventh Street in Carmi.
Smith was subsequently arrested for Driving with no Valid Driver's License.
She was able to post the $150 cash bond to secure her release.