NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Traffic Citations 1-27 – Criminal felony – James S. Harlan – Retail theft and criminal damage to property.7-25 – Criminal felony – Raphyll L. Jordan – Manufacturing/delivering cannabis 30-500 grams. Incidents & AccidentsStark County9-1 – Christopher M. Schmitt, 50, of Little Canada, Minn., was involved in a single-vehicle accident occurred on 1700N near the intersection of 1700E at 6:16 p.m. Schmitt was traveling west on 1700N when he reportedly did not see the stop sign and locked up the brakes before dropping his motorcycle and skidding to…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • PEORIA – An Edwards woman appeared to avoid injury from a single-vehicle accident northwest of Peoria. Elizabeth J. Burtker was behind the wheel of a 2022 Buick Enclave that was turning from westbound Grange Hall Road onto southbound Orange Prairie Road shortly before 2:15 a.m. Sept. 8 when a deer jumped onto the pavement from the west. Burtker swerved to avoid the deer, but the vehicle struck a stop sign on the south side of the intersection, according to a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office…

One thing you do not want to see this time of year is a kettle of turkey vultures soaring low over your deer-hunting spot. Yet that was the scene greeting me Saturday morning in Knox County, northwest of Oak Run. That and swarms of flies and the smell of death. Before the day was over, we located two rotting deer corpses along the small creek that runs through the farm. Based on the smell, I suspect there are a few more corpses out there, but finding two was depressing enough. Other deer hunters and landowners in Illinois have been experiencing…

Traffic Citations8-31 – Marvin D. Smith Jr. – Driving 21-25 mph above limit. Incidents & AccidentsStark County8-25 – Tickets were issued to Drake M. Johnston, 22, of Wyoming, following a single-vehicle accident discovered by a passing motorist in the 200 block of Monroe St. in Wyoming. Johnston was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, failure to notify authorities of an accident and for leaving the scene of an accident. He was issued a court date.8-28 – Jerry L. Hufnagel, 67, Buda, cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.9-8 – Victor W. Koelling, 77,…

By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post The manhunt for Victor Farris that began earlier this month in northern Peoria County ended earlier this week in southeast Iowa. By way of Kansas, apparently. Victor Farris was arrested Monday in Albia, Iowa, according to law-enforcement authorities there and in Peoria. The Ohioan had been on the run after he was accused of stealing a vehicle in Peoria in which a 3-year-old child was inside. That incident, which ended with the child found safe, happened Sept. 4.Twelve days later, Farris turned up in Albia. The city of about 3,700 is located 64 miles southeast…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • KICKAPOO – A fire destroyed a barn west of Kickapoo. At least $100,000 in damage was reported.The blaze began about 6:45 a.m. Sept. 11 at the northeast corner of Princeville-Jubilee Road and U.S. Route 150, according to the Brimfield Community Fire Protection District. Fire consumed the 140-by-30-foot barn, which contained between 110 and 170 round bales of hay. It took firefighters about 10 hours to extinguish the flames. No injuries were reported, although the barn was a total loss. The cause was undetermined. The…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports Traffic Citations9-1 – Jacob D. Brewer – Failure to reduce speed.9-1 – Murray J. Johnston – Failure to reduce speed.9-3 – James M. Tibbits – Driving 21-25 mph above limit.9-3 – Yahil Gonzalez Tirado – Speeding 26-34 mph over limit.9-4 – Russell C. Schierer – Leaving the scene and failure to reduce speed. Misdemeanors& Felonies8-7 – Criminal felony – Hollis C. VanLeer – Possession of cannabis.9-4 – DUI – Courtney R. Pate Evans – Driving under the influence, driving under the influence blood alcohol content…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • KICKAPOO – A Yates City man was accused of unlawfully obtaining almost $1,300 at a Kickapoo-area business. Zachary R. Cassel, 31, was arrested shortly after 3:45 p.m. Sept. 3 regarding the incident. It happened about 7:45 p.m. Aug. 31 at Jubilee Café, 7203 N. Kickapoo-Edwards Rd. A Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report was heavily redacted, but it appears a debit card was used to access $1,291.02. Princeville State Bank was listed in the report. Cassel was accused of theft-control intent between $500 and $10,000…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. ClarificationIn the June 28 edition of The Prairie News public record section, the Stark County Sheriff’s Office reported Paige Weida, 24, of Kewanee was ticketed for speeding, possession of methamphetamine and fleeing/ eluding. On Aug. 16, Weida appeared in Stark County Court and was given court supervision for the speeding charge. State’s Attorney Austin King said Weida was not charged with possession of methamphetamine or fleeing/eluding. Traffic Citations8-22 – Trenton J. Wiggin – Driving 15-20 mph above the limit.8-22 – Camden M. Clark – Driving 21-25…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • WILLIAMSFIELD – A fire at a Williamsfield residence resulted in a woman receiving hospital treatment.About 12:05 a.m. Aug. 21, firefighters were summoned to 125 N. Olive St. There they found light smoke and a few flames emanating from the house, according to Ty Landon, chief of the Williamsfield Fire Protection District. Firefighters extinguished the flames quickly, Landon said. The source appeared to be electric wires that shorted along the baseboard of the house. All three occupants exited safely, although at least one cat was…