Lake and McHenry County Scanner

Woman charged with pushing, kicking, clawing officers during arrest in Crystal Lake

Posted: 09 May 2022 05:06 PM PDT

Samantha Granado, 30, of Island Lake.

An Island Lake woman is facing charges for allegedly pushing and kicking a police officer as officers tried to arrest her in Crystal Lake Sunday evening.

Samantha Granado, 30, of the 3100 block of Pine Terrace in Island Lake, was charged with two counts of resisting a peace officer causing injury, a Class 4 felony, resisting a peace officer, a Class A misdemeanor, and battery, a Class A misdemeanor.

Officers with the Crystal Lake Police Department attempted to arrest Granado around 10:45 p.m. Sunday, court documents show.

Granado was being arrested for spitting in the face of a woman and striking her in the head with a cell phone, a criminal complaint said.

A separate criminal complaint said that Granado caused bodily harm to a police commander when she dug her nail into his hand, causing a red mark and indentation.

The complaint said that Granado kicked a second police officer in his right leg, causing a red mark as she resisted arrest near Route 31 and Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

Granado also pushed the officer while she refused to be handcuffed, the complaint said.

McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt ordered Granado held in the McHenry County Jail on a $31,000 bond.

She remains held as of Monday and would need to post $3,100 cash in order to be released.

A court hearing is scheduled for June 6 in the case.

39-year-old woman charged with attacking nurse at hospital in Woodstock

Posted: 09 May 2022 02:25 PM PDT

Elizabeth M. Trujillo, 39, of Woodstock.

A Woodstock woman was arrested by police after she allegedly shoved and struck a nurse at Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Woodstock Saturday morning.

Elizabeth M. Trujillo, 39, of the 700 block of Washington Street in Woodstock, was charged with aggravated battery to a nurse, a Class 3 felony.

A criminal complaint alleges Trujillo committed a battery against an on-duty nurse at Northwestern Medicine Hospital, 3701 Doty Road in Woodstock.

Trujillo pushed the female nurse and also used her hand to strike the nurse’s left side of her neck, the complaint said.

Officers with the Woodstock Police Department responded and arrested Trujillo around 2 a.m. Saturday.

Trujillo was transported to the McHenry County Jail.

McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt on Monday ordered Trujillo held on a $10,000 bond, which requires a 10% deposit to be released.

Trujillo was released from the McHenry County Jail late Monday morning after posting $1,000 cash, jail records show.

She is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday.

$30 million being invested in over dozen projects aimed to reduce flooding in Lake County

Posted: 09 May 2022 12:28 PM PDT

Heavy rain caused flooding in a residential neighborhood near Division Street and Pershing Avenue in Mundelein on June 26, 2018. | File Photo: Sam Borcia / Lake and McHenry County Scanner

The governor announced Monday that Lake County will receive $30 million in funding for over a dozen projects that aim to reduce stormwater flooding in the county.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined legislators, community leaders and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep School in Waukegan Monday morning.

Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act through the FY22 state funding bill, work on 14 projects throughout Lake County is set to begin this year.

Pritzker said the critical projects aim to address stormwater runoff that causes flooding and can carry pollutants into waterways such as lakes, streams and wetlands.

“Lake County is renowned for its natural beauty – but the waterways that make this region such a great place to live require high quality, efficient infrastructure,” Pritzker said.

“That's why Rebuild Illinois is investing over $800 million to Lake County alone. By combining federal, state, and local resources – we can truly fulfill that responsibility, and in turn, strengthen and revitalize all of Illinois' communities,” he said.

Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton said the $30 million dollar investment will “dramatically improve” Lake County's infrastructure and protect homes and businesses.

Lake County has 920 square miles of natural water sources within its boundaries and approximately 170 lakes and rivers, plus 400 miles of streams and thousands of acres of wetlands.

The 14 projects are expected to provide stormwater management benefits to more than 2,300 properties and 25 roadways in Lake County, the governor’s office said.

The projects will take place in parts of Park City, Waukegan, Highland Park, Fox Lake, Lake Forest, Wildwood, Libertyville, Antioch, Grayslake and Lake Bluff.

Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) said that flooding near Dady Slough in Park City has impacted 800 nearby families.

“Stormwater and flood management is a top priority in our region. That's why I've helped fund three local stormwater management projects in Washington and why I'm proud to celebrate the success of the state in Rebuild Illinois, delivering $30 million in state funding for Lake County stormwater management alone,” Schneider said.

Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart said the stormwater infrastructure projects will “have immediate positive impact that will last for decades.”

“All 14 of these projects are important, but the infrastructure improvements at Dady Slough will address flooding that devastated this area just a few short years ago. It is expected to benefit more than 800 properties in the Cities of Waukegan and Park City, bringing much-needed relief to disadvantaged residents in our county,” said Kurt Woolford, the executive director for the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission.

Woman carjacked at gunpoint as she left church service in Grayslake

Posted: 09 May 2022 10:29 AM PDT

A woman was carjacked at gunpoint after she left St. Gilbert’s Catholic Church in Grayslake and got into her vehicle across the street from the church on Sunday. | Photo: Google Street View

Police are searching for a suspect who ordered a woman out of her car at gunpoint and stole her vehicle moments after she left church in Grayslake on Sunday.

The Grayslake Police Department responded around 12:10 p.m. Sunday to the 200 block of Harding Street in Grayslake for a report of an armed vehicular hijacking call.

Grayslake Police Chief Phil Perlini told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that a woman had just left St. Gilbert’s Catholic Church, 301 East Belvidere Road.

The woman walked across the street and got into her car, which was parked near Harding Street and Belvidere Road across from the church.

Perlini said a suspect approached the victim’s vehicle, opened the car door and displayed a gun.

The suspect, a male Asian described as tall, slender and between 17-19 years old, ordered the woman out of the vehicle.

The victim complied by exiting her vehicle and the suspect got in and fled with the car eastbound on Route 120 from the scene, Perlini said.

The victim was not injured in the incident.

The woman’s vehicle, a Toyota Camry, was later recovered parked and unoccupied in an apartment complex parking lot in Waukegan.

Several witnesses were interviewed and Grayslake police detectives are actively working on the case, Perlini said.

2nd man charged with drug-induced homicide in 27-year-old man’s death in Crystal Lake

Posted: 09 May 2022 08:43 AM PDT

Ryan James, 25, of Crystal Lake.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a second man charged with drug-induced homicide for allegedly selling fentanyl pills that caused a 27-year-old Crystal Lake man’s death.

Ryan James, 25, of the 3600 block of Smoke Tree Lane in Crystal Lake, was charged in March with drug-induced homicide and calculated criminal drug conspiracy, both Class X felonies.

Last Monday, prosecutors approved charges of drug-induced homicide and calculated criminal drug conspiracy against Jacob Stealy, 24, of the 100 block of Surrey Lane in Crystal Lake.

Criminal complaints said that James and Stealy delivered fentanyl unlawfully to Colton G. Steiner, 27, of Crystal Lake, on June 23, 2021.

Steiner ingested the fentanyl and was later found dead. His death was ruled an overdose from fentanyl, court documents show.

The complaints state that James, as part of a conspiracy with Lucious Hemphill, 20, of Carol Stream, and Stealy, delivered between one gram and 15 grams of a substance containing fentanyl between June 2021 and October 2021 in McHenry County.

James, Hemphill and Stealy allegedly made more than $500 from the conspiracy, the complaint said.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force interviewed James, who admitted he had been actively selling pressed fentanyl pills, according to a motion filed in court.

James told task force members that he had been purchasing approximately 100 fentanyl pills every one or two weeks from Hemphill, the motion said.

Task force members contacted Hemphill and arranged to have him bring 100 fentanyl pills to a designated location in December.

Hemphill arrived at the location and officers found him in possession of 123 pills, which field-tested positive for fentanyl, court documents show.

Officers arrested Hemphill and he was charged with multiple counts of possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver. He was later released after posting bond.

Hemphill was charged last Monday with calculated criminal drug conspiracy.

James also told officers that Stealy would sometimes drive him to meet Hemphill, and Stealy would pick up drugs on James’ behalf, the motion said.

A McHenry County judge approved an arrest warrant for James in February and he was taken into custody and released on bond in March.

A judge recently issued arrest warrants for Hemphill and Stealy for their new charges.