Local man jailed after crime spree

By NICK VLAHOS
For The Weekly Post

GALESBURG – A Williamsfield-area man led Galesburg-based law-enforcement personnel on a one-day odyssey of crime earlier this month.

Dallas R. Hulse, 28, was released the afternoon of April 6 from the Knox County Jail. By day’s end, he was back in the jail. In between, Hulse stole someone’s prescription medication, burglarized two vehicles and caused disturbances at two Galesburg businesses and an apartment complex, according to authorities.

Initially, Hulse was released from jail about 3:15 p.m. Reports from the Galesburg Police Department and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office didn’t specify why Hulse was arrested in the first place.

But while he was being processed for release, Hulse apparently grabbed and placed in his backpack a bottle of prescription medicine that belonged to another inmate.

Hulse was in a booking area next to a holding cell that contained the 37-year-old male victim, according to a sheriff’s-office report. The victim’s medicine had been placed in a bin outside the holding cell. Security video revealed Hulse reached into the bin and absconded with the medicine.

About three hours later, Galesburg police were notified about a vehicle burglary that happened between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the 700 block of N. Henderson St. The victim said his wallet and a keychain were missing.
Two hours after that, about 8:30 p.m., police were summoned to Smoke Land, 1516 N. Henderson St. There, Hulse was arguing with staff and customers, a report stated. An employee asked police to ban Hulse from the store, which an officer did, but not before Hulse tried to argue with him, too.

At about 9:30 p.m., the same officer responded to Galesburg Towers, 1384 N. Henderson St. Hulse was sitting in the community room, asking others for a ride to Williamsfield. Another argument ensued with the officer, who told Hulse to leave the building immediately.

One hour later, the officer was called to the Little Caesars pizza restaurant at 1526 N. Henderson St., where witnesses said Hulse was spitting on and banging on a window. At that point, the officer arrested Hulse.
The officer found in one of Hulse’s pockets a debit card that belonged to a man who earlier in the day reported someone broke into his vehicle, stole his wallet and used the card at Little Caesars, among other places.

In Hulse’s backpack were the keychain that was reported stolen and the missing prescription medicine, with the victim’s name on the bottle. Also found was another debit card that belonged to the second burglary victim, as well as his photo ID.

Hulse admitted to the vehicle burglaries but said his mother gave him the medication. Among the charges against him are theft, possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and disorderly conduct. Hulse has a long criminal history in Knox County, including eight cases so far this year.

As of earlier this week, Hulse remained in the county jail. Preliminary and status hearings were scheduled for May 28.