NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Police reports
• DAHINDA – A pool party in Dahinda resulted in a fistfight, followed by a local man’s arrest.
According to a Knox County Sheriff’s Office report, 47-year-old Jason M. Scott encouraged women to take off the tops of their swimsuits during the party, which took place June 30 at a residence in the 1400 block of Wenona St.
For unknown reasons, Scott became upset later and held a woman’s head under water until the two hosts, a man and a woman, intervened. After that, the 48-year-old male host and Scott began to fight. During the fight, the 42-year-old female host was punched in the face, per the report.
Deputies arrived about 8 p.m., then located Scott at a residence in the 400 block of Crabtree Lane. He was accused of battery and aggravated domestic battery and was transported to the Knox County Jail in Galesburg.
• KICKAPOO – A pair of Princeville residents declined medical attention following a two-vehicle collision south of Kickapoo.
At 3:45 p.m. June 26, Rachel D. Palcovic was driving a 2016 Honda Odyssey on the exit ramp from westbound Interstate 74 to Kickapoo-Edwards Road when the vehicle rear-ended a 2021 Ford F-150 pickup truck, according to a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report. Adam W. Geiger was the other driver.
Both drivers intended to turn north onto Kickapoo-Edwards Road. Palcovic said she believed Geiger’s vehicle already had turned, and she was looking left to ensure the intersection was clear. Both vehicles sustained minor damage.
• ELMORE – A garbage truck toppled a utility pole at a residence east of Elmore.
The accident happened shortly before 1 p.m. June 25 in the 21800 block of W. Lorance Rd. A power line was draped over the back of the garbage truck when a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived. He told the driver, Robert B. Howell of Canton, to remain in the vehicle until the power could be shut off.
According to a sheriff’s-office report, the truck was attempting to collect garbage from a dumpster at the north end of a driveway when the vehicle struck the power line and the pole fell. The line above the driveway connected to the residence from the pole.
Representatives of Ameren Illinois shut off power and removed the downed wire from the vehicle.
• BRIMFIELD – A Peoria man’s vehicle was damaged after it ran over a kayak on a road southeast of Brimfield.
About 3:45 p.m. June 23, Chad L. McKenzie was driving a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado west on U.S. Route 150 near the Jubilee College State Park entrance when he attempted to swerve to avoid the teal-colored kayak. That effort was futile, according to a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report.
The unidentified kayak owner was driving east on Route 150 and had multiple such vessels attached to his trailer.
The kayaks shifted and one fell off the trailer. The owner said he made a U-turn and arrived just in time to see McKenzie’s vehicle overrun the kayak.
McKenzie’s vehicle sustained functional damage to the driver’s-door bottom and steps, the report stated. The kayak sustained minor damage.
• GILSON – A Yates City-area man was cited for using a motorcycle while his driver’s license was suspended.
About 8 p.m. June 21, a Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputy found a motorcycle registered to Loren G. McKim, 20, parked at the Wolf Covered Bridge, in the 1800 block of Knox Highway 17. Nearby, the deputy located McKim and 19-year-old Chelsea L. Taylor of St. David.
The deputy confirmed McKim’s license was suspended. McKim said he drove the motorcycle only a short distance and didn’t think he would be caught, the report stated.
McKim was released and his motorcycle was impounded. A check revealed Taylor was wanted in Fulton County for failure to appear in court regarding a battery accusation. She was arrested and transported to the Knox County Jail in Galesburg.
• OAK HILL – An Elmwood female required hospital treatment following a single-vehicle accident west of Oak Hill.
Jessica L. Cunningham was driving a 2011 Hyundai Tucson east on Tiber Creek Road shortly before 7:30 a.m. June 21 when she lost control of the vehicle on a curve at Pulsifer Road, a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report stated.
The vehicle rolled into a cornfield on the east side of the pavement and landed on its top. Cunningham said she lost consciousness. An ambulance transported her to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. The vehicle sustained extensive damage.
• FARMINGTON – A traffic stop in Farmington resulted in a Peoria woman’s arrest for failure to appear in court.
Shortly before 9:30 p.m. June 19 at Fulton and Main streets, a Farmington police officer stopped a 2003 GMC vehicle Margaret L. Craig, 34, was driving. The vehicle’s rear registration light was not functioning, according to a report.
A check revealed Craig was wanted on a no-bond Tazewell County warrant regarding a retail-theft charge. She was transported to the Fulton County Jail in Lewistown. Craig also was cited for having no rear registration light.
• FARMINGTON – An anonymous tip led to the arrest of a Farmington man wanted for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Rowdy G. Eldridge, 19, was located about 5:30 p.m. June 18 in the passenger seat of a Ford Crown Victoria parked in front of Casey’s, 84 S. Main St. Eldridge had missed an appearance in Fulton County Circuit Court regarding the drunken-driving charge, according to a Farmington police report.
Eldridge was transported to the Fulton County Jail in Lewistown.
• DOUGLAS – Shortly before 5:15 a.m. June 5, Jonna K. Schaub, 57, of Maquon was driving a 2015 Honda Accord east in the 1600 block of Illinois Route 8 when the vehicle struck a deer. Schaub declined medical treatment, according to a Knox County Sheriff’s Office report. Her vehicle was towed.
• EDWARDS – Andrew J. Kleitsch, 39, of Edwards was arrested shortly before 2:30 p.m. July 7 and accused of violating an order of protection, according to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office.
• PRINCEVILLE – Justin M. Janssen, 23, of Princeville was arrested shortly after 2 a.m. July 6 and accused of driving under the influence of alcohol and improper lane use, according to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office.
• ELMWOOD – Chief Aaron Bean reported the following Elmwood Police Department activity for June: five stops, six warnings, 12 reports, one open door and one ordinance violation.
• YATES CITY – Police Chief Randy Randy Benson reported the following activity for the Yates City Police Department in June: 11 reports, six traffic stops, zero arrests, six warnings, one citation, one open door, zero ordinance violations.
The mid-year report shows nine arrests compared to three in 2023 at this point.
• GALESBURG – These were among calls to which the Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded between June 30-July 6: battery, Dahinda; road hazard, Dahinda; fireworks complaint, Dahinda; road hazard, Williamsfield; fraud, Yates City; found article, Dahinda; domestic dispute, Yates City; threats, Yates City; suspicious incident, Dahinda; burglary, Yates City; fireworks complaint, Yates City; theft, Yates City; shots fired, Williamsfield; domestic dispute, Galva; disturbance, Yates City.
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7-26-24
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