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Probation for Wonder Lake man who fled from police and threw brick at squad car, leading to barricade situation

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 12:29 PM PDT

Derek B. Bush, 29, of Wonder Lake.

A Wonder Lake man who led police on a pursuit, threw a rock through the window of a squad car and threw a brick at a deputy before barricading himself in a residence has been sentenced to probation.

Derek B. Bush, 29, of the 7400 block of Maple Drive in Wonder Lake, was charged with aggravated fleeing to elude, criminal damage to property and criminal damage to government property.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded on May 19 to the 7400 block of Maple Drive in Wonder Lake for a domestic disturbance.

Bush was observed fleeing the scene as sheriff’s deputies were responding, resulting in a brief pursuit, the sheriff’s office said.

The pursuit was terminated shortly after initiation and the deputies responded to the residence to meet with the victim.

The sheriff’s office said Bush returned to the residence and engaged in a verbal altercation with the victim.

The deputies separated Bush and the victim, after which Bush threw a large rock through a deputy's squad car, shattering the rear window, according to the sheriff’s office.

Bush then threw a retaining wall brick at another deputy who had arrived on the scene before running into the residence and barricading himself.

Officers from the Wonder Lake, Bull Valley, McHenry, Richmond and Spring Grove police departments also responded to the scene to assist.

While locked inside, Bush yelled derogatory remarks toward deputies, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies successfully deescalated the situation and Bush was taken into custody.

The sheriff’s office learned that Bush also threw multiple landscaping bricks through the windshield of the victim's car before deputies arrived.

There were no injuries to the victim, deputies or Bush.

Court records show Bush entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office on Monday.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated fleeing to elude, a Class 4 felony, in exchange for his other charges being dismissed.

McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge sentenced Bush to 18 months of felony probation and ordered him to pay $1,299 in court fines and fees.

Bush will also be required to undergo a mental health evaluation and pay $500 in restitution to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

Lawmakers pass bill that will allow DCFS workers in Illinois to carry pepper spray

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 10:09 AM PDT

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Headquarters in Springfield | Photo: Google Street View

Lawmakers recently passed a bill that will allow Department of Children and Family Services workers in Illinois to carry pepper spray for defensive purposes.

Senate Bill 1486 amends the Children and Family Services Act to allow frontline staff members to carry personal protection spray devices, such as mace and pepper spray.

The bill says they can carry the spray for defensive purposes in the course of investigating abuse and neglect cases.

Employees would be required to complete a short training program from the Illinois State Police on the proper use of pepper spray.

State Representative Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa), a sponsor of the legislation, said the bill aims to give caseworkers more protection.

“In an ideal world, caseworkers would never have to use the pepper spray, but that ignores the reality of the important, but difficult and sometimes dangerous, work they're doing,” Weber said.

In January, Diedra Silas, a caseworker with DCFS, was stabbed to death while performing a home visit.

DCFS caseworker Pam Knight was also brutally attacked in 2017 while taking a child into DCFS custody. She later died from her injuries.

“Obviously we need to do a lot more at DCFS to protect both our frontline workers and our children, but this is a good step in the right direction,” Weber said.

“I'm hopeful that this provides some peace of mind to caseworkers and, god forbid they need to use it, some protection,” he added.

SB 1486 passed the Illinois Senate unanimously and the Illinois House on a bipartisan 100-4 vote earlier this month. It is awaiting the signature of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

Brothers from Lake Forest sentenced to home detention in connection with January 6 insurrection at U.S. Capitol

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:22 AM PDT

Screenshot of video posted to Instagram by Christian Kulas, of Kenilworth, who was later charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building. | Photo via U.S. District Court / FBI

Two brothers from Lake Forest were sentenced to probation and home detention for participating in the deadly January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

Mark Kulas, Jr., 27, of Lake Forest, was charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, a misdemeanor.

Kulas was charged by criminal information on November 19.

Prosecutors allege Kulas willfully and knowingly paraded, demonstrated and picketed in the U.S. Capitol Building, according to court documents.

Mark Kulas’s brother, Christian Kulas, 24, of Kenilworth, was charged last June for also participating in the riot.

Prosecutors charged Christian Kulas with two counts of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and one count of temporary residence of the president.

Several people sent tips to the FBI days after the January 6 riot about a video Christian Kulas had posted on Instagram that appeared to show himself participating.

A man, who multiple people identified as Christian Kulas, was seen in the video wearing a Burberry jacket along with a baseball cap that said “Keep America Great” on the front of it, according to an affidavit from the FBI.

He could be heard in the video laughing and saying “storming the Capitol,” the affidavit said.

Kulas’ mother confirmed in a direct message on social media that her son Christian was the one in the video, the affidavit said.

The Kulas brothers are graduates of Lake Forest High School and are the sons of the owners of Kulas Maids, which is a Northbrook-based company.

The Kulas brothers both appeared in court in December in front of U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Hogan and entered into plea agreements.

Both of them pleaded guilty to one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, a misdemeanor.

The Kulas brothers agreed in their plea deal to cooperate with law enforcement agents by letting them examine social media accounts on their electronic devices.

Prosecutors said in court documents that the two brothers flew from Illinois to Washington, D.C. on January 5 and walked with the crowd into the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6.

“Mark Kulas, Jr. and Christian Kulas walked around the interior of the U.S. Capitol Building, including through areas known as the Capitol Rotunda and Statuary Hall. Christian Kulas shouted and cheered in support of the rioters, including a group of rioters using force in an effort to breach a police line and to open a doorway,” prosecutors said.

Prosecutors added that there is no evidence the two assisted the rioters using force against the police line in an effort to open the doorway.

The offense that the Kulas brothers pleaded guilty to carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

On Tuesday, Hogan sentenced the two to 60 days of home detention and six months of probation. They will also have to pay restitution of $500 each.

In the 15 months since Jan. 6, nearly 800 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, prosecutors said.