Lake and McHenry County Scanner

Man charged with punching elderly man in the face at grocery store in Algonquin, causing serious injuries

Posted: 06 Jun 2022 08:32 AM PDT

Arthur L. Gage Jr., 40, of Woodridge.

A man has been arrested in connection with an incident where he allegedly punched an elderly man, causing serious facial injuries to the victim at a Jewel-Osco in Algonquin.

Arthur L. Gage Jr., 40, of the 7700 block of Fox Drive in Woodridge, was charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery to a victim over 60 and aggravated battery in a public place.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges that Gage caused great bodily harm to a male victim on April 17.

The incident happened at the Jewel-Osco, 103 South Randall Road in Algonquin.

Gage allegedly used a closed fist to punch the male victim in the right eye area of his face.

The victim, who is in his late 60s, suffered a severe laceration and a broken nose, the complaint said.

Charges were filed against Gage on May 5 and a warrant was issued, court records show.

Gage was taken into custody at the McHenry County Jail on Wednesday.

He was released on Saturday after posting 10% of his $25,000 bond.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 6.

Officials urge people to practice safe boating as summer approaches

Posted: 05 Jun 2022 05:56 PM PDT

File Photo | Photo via United States Coast Guard

Illinois conservation police are urging residents to wear life jackets and avoid operating boats while under the influence ahead of the summer season.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) released a statement during National Safe Boating Week, which runs from May 21 to May 27, reminding people to practice safe boating ahead of the summer boating season.

IDNR conservation police urge those on the water to wear life jackets and only operate boats while sober.

“The ‘Wear It!’ message is a simple and easy message to understand," Illinois Conservation Police Lieutenant Curt Lewis said.

“Wearing a life jacket isn’t just a reminder for everyone on a motorboat; it’s also important for everyone who enjoys paddle sports, such as kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards.”

93 boating accidents were reported on Illinois waters last year, resulting in 28 injuries and 16 deaths, annual statistics from conservation police show.

Four of those deaths involved alcohol or drug impairment, and the other 12 who died were not wearing life jackets.

81 boating accidents resulted in 21 deaths and 36 injuries in 2020 and 72 accidents resulted in 14 deaths and 42 injuries in 2019.

Conservation officials said most accidents happen between noon and 6 p.m. on the weekends between June and August when conditions are favorable for boating.

Most accidents involved operators ages 20 to 40 who have more than 100 hours of boating experience but little to no boating safety instruction, and they usually involve open motorboats acting in a reckless manner, reports indicated.

Conservation police officers will strictly enforce laws regarding operating a boat under the influence as part of a boating safety enforcement effort.

Lewis said operating a boat under the influence can be more dangerous than operating a motor vehicle under the influence because waterways have no lane markers and most boats do not have seatbelts.

65 boaters were arrested last year for operating under the influence, a 36% decrease from 2020.

State law requires personal floatation devices (PFDs) to be available for each person on a boat, and everyone to wear a PFD while operating a personal watercraft or jet ski.

Effective this month, no one can operate a watercraft unless everyone under the age of 13 on the deck or in an open watercraft is wearing an approved and appropriately sized PFD.

This requirement does not apply to people who are inside a cabin or below the top deck on a watercraft, on an anchored watercraft that is a platform for swimming or diving or aboard a charter “passenger for hire” watercraft with a licensed captain.

Officials say wearing an appropriately sized United States Coast guard-approved PFD is the most proactive action boaters can take to ensure their safety.

IDNR offers free boating safety courses that teach safe operation of watercraft and provide a review of boating laws and regulations.

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1998, is required to pass a course and have a valid boating safety certificate to operate a motorboat of over 10 horsepower.

Those ages 12 to 17 are also required by law to receive boating safety education to operate a motorboat.

“Wearing a life jacket can save your life, and staying sober while operating a boat is not only common sense, it’s the law,” Lewis said.

2 officers injured after being dragged by fleeing vehicle during traffic stop in North Chicago

Posted: 05 Jun 2022 04:02 PM PDT

Demetris Moore, 47, of North Chicago.

A judge ordered a man held on a $500,000 bond after he allegedly drove away from a traffic stop and dragged two officers with his car in North Chicago, leaving them injured.

Demetris Moore, 47, of the 1300 block of Victoria Avenue in North Chicago, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer, obstructing justice and two counts of resisting a peace officer.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said during a bond hearing that officers with the North Chicago Police Department were on patrol just after midnight on Tuesday.

They observed a vehicle pull out in front of them with no rear lights on.

The officers activated their lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, Katris said.

They spoke to Moore, who was driving, and ran his driver’s license. Moore was found to have an active arrest warrant.

Katris said that Moore refused to exit the vehicle and put the vehicle into drive. He then started driving away.

One officer was dragged approximately 15-20 feet. He suffered had road rash and bruising.

A second officer was dragged approximately 50 feet, Katris said. That officer suffered road rash and was missing skin on his finger.

Moore fled the scene and eventually crashed in Waukegan. A canine unit tracked him down after the crash, Katris said.

Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Moore held on a $500,000 bond.

Moore remains held in the Lake County Jail and would need to post $50,000 cash in order to be released.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 28.

Governor signs legislation to expand use of cameras to fight crime on Illinois expressways

Posted: 05 Jun 2022 03:02 PM PDT

File Photo – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Photo: Illinois Information Service

Gov. JB Pritzker has signed legislation that will allow for the expanded use of cameras to aid law enforcement in investigating crime on expressways and highways in Illinois.

“There is nothing more important than keeping Illinoisans safe—in our schools, in our parks, and on our expressways,” Pritzker said.

“The tragic incidences of gun violence on our highways requires aggressive and intentional action. By signing this bill, law enforcement agencies will have the tools to respond to criminal activity in a timely and efficient manner—ensuring the safety and security of our residents, while holding perpetrators accountable,” Pritzker said.

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said automated license plate readers play a “growing, critical” role in investigations and arrests in the Chicagoland area.

“ISP now routinely uses this technology to track down expressway shootings and carjacking suspects, so the expansion of this technology across Illinois expands our ability to protect our interstates and bring violent criminals to justice,” Kelly said.

Pritzker signed House Bill 4481, which increases the number of cameras along expressways and state highways in the counties of Boone, Bureau, Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Macon, Madison, McHenry, Morgan, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, St. Clair, Will and Winnebago.

The state's FY23 budget included $20 million to expand the technology. The legislation is effective immediately.

“Public safety is one of the biggest issues concerning Illinoisans,” Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) said.

“I am proud to advance legislation that will help our families feel safer and provides law enforcement the additional tools they need to investigate crimes and ensure justice is served,” Murphy said.

Pritzker also signed House Bill 260, which allows for the use of expressway cameras along Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive.

The new laws will give law enforcement agencies the ability to use images from the cameras to investigate shootings, vehicular hijacking and other criminal activities.

The Illinois State Police (ISP), working with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Chicago Department of Transportation, has installed more than 150 Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) on Chicago expressways with plans to install approximately 150 more throughout the summer.

The ALPRs cover the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-94), I-90, I-290, I-55, and I-57.

In early 2021, ISP received a $12.5 million grant to cover the costs of engineering, permitting and labor associated with the purchase and installation of readers, controllers, servers/software, electrical power and communications equipment required to install ALPR systems.

In the first phase, ALPRs were installed on the Dan Ryan expressway during the summer and fall of 2021.

The second phase was recently completed for a total of 150 ALPRs on numerous expressways. For the final phase, ISP is installing 150 more ALPRs for a total of 300 under the initial grant.

The funding and installation of ALPRs stem from the Tamara Clayton Expressway Camera Act, which was signed into law in July 2019 and became effective on January 1, 2020.

Clayton was on her way to work on February 4, 2019, when she was shot and killed while driving on Interstate 57 near Cicero Avenue.

In 2021, there was a total of 264 reported expressway shootings, according to the governor’s office. That includes 114 shootings with injuries, 22 shootings with fatalities and a total of 148 gunshot victims.