(Editor’s note: Information in this report is gathered directly from area police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or reduced as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police
Aug. 17
An Illinois State Police crime scene unit assisted Columbia police in investigating a burglary reported at a commercial office in the 100 block of Wedgewood Drive.

A possible incident of fraud is under investigation after a juvenile used a fake $10 bill to make a purchase at Taco Bell. 

Aug. 18
Columbia police are investigating an alleged aggravated assault using a deadly weapon. Shortly after 11:45 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of North Main Street at Veterans Parkway after a subject reported that occupants of a small white pickup truck pointed a handgun in their direction as they passed the victim’s location on North Main Street. Police located and attempted to stop the suspect vehicle near North Main Street at Route 3, after which the truck fled from officers onto I-255 entering Missouri. The incident remains under investigation.

Aug. 19
Kaleb G. Teeter, 18, and Michael W.R. Walton III, 18, both of Columbia, were each cited for unlawful consumption of alcohol in the 400 block of East Locust Street.

Aug. 21
A Columbia Fire Department drone was dispatched just after 1 p.m. to assist police in locating a woman without shoes reported wandering in the area of I-255 and the Fish Lake overpass. Witnesses said the woman appeared to be wearing nightwear and looked distraught. At about 4 p.m., a person at J.B. Golf Tee, 2400 Ramsey Road, called to report a woman wandering around on the property. Police said the woman, a 32-year-old from Missouri, was the same person they had been looking for earlier. She was transported to a St. Louis hospital for evaluation.

Millstadt Police
Aug. 17
Nicholas J. Linden Jr., 52, of Belleville, was arrested for retail theft following an incident at Lee’s Home Center, 1 S. Illinois Street.

Monroe County Sheriff
Aug. 14
Gary D. Thompson, 36, of Godfrey, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant.

Montrell V. Brownlee, 25, of Belleville, was arrested on a probation violation. 

Aug. 15
Karol L. Posey, 64, of Cahokia, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) on Route 3 at Rose Lane.

Aug. 16
A possible case of elderly neglect in the area of 7900 D Road is under investigation.

Aug. 17
A man was involuntarily admitted to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County after allegedly pouring gasoline inside a house and threatening to set it ablaze about 8:30 p.m. in the 2000 block of Koch Road. The Maeystown Fire Department responded to the scene.

Aug. 19
The theft of an Apple watch from a residence on Tranquil Lane is under investigation.

The alleged assault of a man by two unknown males outside of a residence on Jason Drive is under investigation. The suspects left the scene in a dark brown truck, possibly a Chevy.

Aug. 20
Michael E. Conrad, 63, of Waterloo, was charged with Class 2 felony false reporting of a vehicle theft stemming from an incident earlier this month.

Waterloo Police
Aug. 16
Tommy M. Paddie Jr., 48, of Waterloo, was arrested for domestic battery in the 600 block of South Market Street.

Aug. 17
Dylan Kelly, 24, of St. Louis, was arrested in the 400 block of Laurel Street on a St. Clair County warrant and on a city ordinance violation for soliciting without a permit.

Aug. 18
Two juveniles were apprehended after spray-painting multiple vehicles and painting vulgar language on the roadway in the area of Legion Drive and Hartman Street.

Aug. 19
James M. Reeder, 24, of Red Bud, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and no insurance at 409 S. Illinois Route 3.

One Columbia woman is dead following a two-vehicle crash that occurred about 8:36 p.m. Sunday at Route 3 and Veterans Parkway, police said.

Columbia Deputy Chief of Police Jason Donjon said Stacie Thoma, 37, of Columbia, was driving a 2002 light-colored Buick sedan east on Veterans Parkway across Route 3 toward Columbia High School when a white 2010 Ford F-150 driven by Michael Vanderschans, 33, of Winfield, Mo., collided with the Buick.

Both drivers were transported by ambulance to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis, where Thoma was pronounced dead. A passenger in the pickup truck, Coleen Wyatt, 29, of Winfield, Mo., was also transported to the hospital. The injuries to Vanderschans and Wyatt are not life-threatening, police said.

According to witnesses on scene, the driver of the pickup truck ran a red light before colliding with the Buick, police said.

Columbia police are investigating the crash.

(Editor’s note: Information in this report is gathered directly from area police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or reduced as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police
Aug. 22
Luke A. Buettner, 22, of Collinsville, was charged with battery and criminal trespassing following an incident at Proving Ground Cafe, 180 Columbia Center. Police said Buettner first appeared at the business early in the morning and management told him at that time he was no longer welcome. Shortly after 11 a.m., an irate Buettner returned to Proving Ground and “touched one of the employees in a provoking manner,” police said. An employee sprayed pepper spray on Buettner and he was pinned to the ground until police could arrive at the scene.

Aug. 23
Myles R. Khoury, 47, of Columbia, was arrested for domestic battery at 803 S. Rapp Avenue.

Aug. 24
The Columbia Fire Department assisted the Mehlville (Mo.) Fire Department and St. Louis County Police Department in attempting to locate a confirmed jumper off I-255 at the Jefferson Barracks Bridge into the Mississippi River about 3 p.m. Columbia firefighters utilized a drone to conduct an aerial search from the bridge and also stationed at Luhr’s Landing prepared to launch a rescue boat. Mehlville used a tugboat in the search, so the CFD boat was not used. The CFD did use its UTV to search under the bridge. The subject was not located.

Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern IL
Aug. 13
Misty M. Gould, 41, of Cahokia, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (hydrocodone) in connection with a June 2 incident.

Julie J. Lewis, 50, of Columbia, was charged with possession of methamphetamine stemming from a May 30 incident.

Monroe County Sheriff
Aug. 14
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department’s Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop in Columbia after observing traffic violations. The driver of the vehicle, Kristopher R. Bess, 42, of Belleville, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance (heroin).

Aug. 22
Angela Baker, 50, of Waterloo, was arrested on a Monroe County failure to appear warrant on I-255 at State Route 3 in Columbia. Also arrested was Twyla Lambert, 51, of Belleville, for driving while license revoked.

Aug. 23
Travis Schlegel, 28, of Waterloo, was arrested for domestic battery and unlawful interference with the reporting of domestic violence on KK Road.

Linda Huggins, 41, of Columbia, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant.

Aug. 24
The report of an ex-employee harassing a volunteer at Hope Food Pantry on Coach Stop Road is under investigation.

Aug. 25
Emergency personnel responded about 4:50 p.m. to a crash involving a vehicle and bicycle on LL Road near Route 159 just north of Red Bud. The bicyclist, Timothy P. Beckendorf, was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle, Thomas M. Mehring, 23, of Waterloo, was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and no insurance.

Aug. 26
Harry McCraw, 25, of Belleville, was arrested on a Monroe County failure to appear warrant.

Aug. 28
Monroe County emergency personnel responded shortly after 9:20 a.m. to the area of Levee Road at Outlet Road for a rescue on the Mississippi River. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that a couple was stranded on a 16-foot bass boat in the river just off Gasconade Island near the Illinois side. Monroe County EMS and the Maeystown Fire Department responded with the Columbia and Valmeyer fire departments also assisting. Jefferson County (Mo.) emergency personnel also assisted in the successful rescue, which ended about 10:20 a.m.

Waterloo Police
July 27
City ordinance violations were issued to the following individuals for public fighting during the auto demolition derby at the Monroe County Fair: Drake Augustine, 23, of Waterloo; David Augustine, 50, of Waterloo; Joseph Free, 27, of Waterloo; Dustin Wedel, 29, of Waterloo; Keith Radford Sr., 53, of Waterloo; Devin Conaway, 25, of Waterloo; and Nathan Paddie, 24, of Cahokia.

Aug. 18
Devyn K. Seymour, 31, of Waterloo, was charged with endangering the life or health of a child for allegedly leaving children unattended in her vehicle for 30 minutes at the Walmart parking lot while the engine was running.

Aug. 22
Randy Sneed, 60, of Waterloo, was issued city ordinance violations for public intoxication and possession of drug paraphernalia at Circle K, 209 S. Market Street. The incident occurred shortly before 7:45 a.m.

Aug. 25
A 1994 Pontiac Trans Am had its rear window smashed out and all four tires deflated while it was parked at 1116 Maplewood Lane shortly before 10 p.m. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Waterloo police at 939-3377.

The body of a deceased white male was recovered from the Mississippi River near a Luhr’s Landing loading dock in rural Columbia early Wednesday morning.

The Columbia Fire Department, Monroe County’s Sheriff’s Department, Monroe County Coroner’s Office and an Illinois State Police crime scene unit were dispatched to Luhr’s Landing about 6:30 a.m.

The Waterloo Fire Department stood by at Columbia’s fire station as firefighters worked to pull the body from the river.

Luhr Brothers was helpful in the recovery process, fire officials said, providing the use of one of its cranes.

Officials are working to identify the male and manner of death. Monroe County Coroner Bob Hill said the man was pronounced dead at 7:27 a.m. The cause of death and identification are pending DNA results, he said.

On Aug. 24, the Mehlville (Mo.) Fire Department requested Columbia Fire Department personnel to assist in a search for a confirmed jumper from the Jefferson Barracks Bridge into the river. The search was called off after the subject was not located.

It is not yet known if the body recovered Wednesday is related to the Aug. 24 incident.

A Columbia man was involved in a two-vehicle crash early Monday morning in Perry County that resulted in the death of a 36-year-old Mulkeytown man.

Illinois State Police said the crash occurred just after 6 a.m. on Route 152 about two miles east of Route 127.

Police said the Mulkeytown man, whose name has not yet been released, was driving a GMC Acadia westbound on Route 152 when an eastbound International straight truck driven by Wesley J. Borden of Columbia apparently crossed the center line into the path of the GMC.

The vehicles collided in a head-on/sideswipe manner, ISP said.

Borden was not injured. He was cited for improper lane usage.

Illinois 152 was closed for six hours after the crash while authorities cleaned up the scene and completed an on-site investigation.

(Editor’s note: Information in this report is gathered directly from area police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or reduced as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police
Aug. 28
Kyle D. Batson, 31, of Columbia, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant and for no valid license and expired registration on I-255 westbound.

Kevin D. Howard, 48, of Arnold, Mo., was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant on Admiral Parkway northbound at Eagle Drive.

Aug. 31
Amanda S. Maxfield, 28, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI, improper lane usage and no insurance on Admiral Parkway at Carl Street.

Sept. 1
Cory D. Vogt, 28, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol and speeding at Red Roof Liquor & Lotto, 301 Southport Drive.

Brandon M. Gray, 37, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI at Red Roof Liquor & Lotto, 301 Southport Drive.

Jonathan J. Bromeier, 24, of St. Louis, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant in the 1500 block of North Main Street.

Adam J. Kemp, 41, of Caseyville, was arrested on an in-state warrant on I-255.

Paul D. Greenfield, 34, of St. Louis, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Palmer Road at Southport Drive.

Sept. 2
Jeremy S. Sewell, 38, of Sparta, was arrested on an in-state warrant and for no insurance, driving while license revoked and improper display of plates at 300 Columbia Center.

Kayla A. Patterson, 35, of Arnold, Mo., was arrested for theft of services at 223 Southwoods Center.

Martin F. Capiz, 59, of Cahokia, was arrested for DUI and no insurance on Southport Drive at Palmer Road.

Millstadt Police
Aug. 26
Josie M. Proffitt, 18, of Swansea, was arrested for DUI and possession of a fraudulent identification card on East Washington Street.

Aug. 29
Ervin L. Sanders Jr., 33, of Cahokia, was arrested on felony and traffic warrants out of St. Clair County and was also charged with no valid license, illegal transportation of alcohol and defective windshield on North Jefferson Street. 

Monroe County Sheriff
Aug. 29
A 17-year-old Valmeyer girl was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident that occurred about 2:45 p.m. on Route 156 near Old Baum Church Road. The girl’s 2008 Dodge Caliber hydroplaned before colliding nearly head-on with a 2011 Jeep carry-all driven by Dennis Valentine, 71, of Valmeyer. Valentine was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.

Aug. 30
Blake L. Goodman, 23, of Belleville, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance (alprazolam), driving while license suspended, no insurance and suspended registration at Southwoods Center in Columbia.

An abandoned white truck found stuck in a field well off the roadway in the area of Old Bluff Road in Columbia turned out to be reported stolen out of Caseyville. The vehicle was towed to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department for an Illinois State Police crime scene unit to process it for evidence.

Sept. 2
Christina Webster, 37, of Smithton, was arrested for DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol, expired registration and failure to dim headlights on LL Road at Doyle Road.

Sept. 3
Brandon L. Pegg, 19, of Waterloo, was arrested for domestic battery at 5726 State Route 3.

Waterloo Police
Aug. 8
Michael Cunningham, 35, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI and improper lane usage on Route 3 at Plaza Drive.

Aug. 28
Robert S. Wilson, 33, of Fults, was issued city ordinance violations for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia on Elaine Drive at Debra Lane. He was also arrested for no insurance.

Aug. 29
James Throop, 39, of Evansville, was arrested on a Randolph County failure to appear warrant.

Aug. 30
Waterloo police and Monroe County EMS responded shortly after 10 p.m. to the area of East Fourth Street near Rogers Street after a 17-year-old was reportedly struck by a moving vehicle. The teen sustained a minor arm injury and did not require medical transport. An unidentified dark-colored SUV struck the pedestrian and continued on. The force of the impact caused the teen to fall against a parked car.

Aug. 31
Connor M. Kolmer, 21, of Waterloo, was charged with possession of cannabis (more than 30 grams, less than 100 grams) following a March 21 incident.

Sept. 3
Randall Rettinghouse, 51, of New Athens, was arrested for DUI and failure to signal on Park Street.

Marvin Mueller

Several area volunteer fire departments joined local police and other emergency personnel Tuesday in an extensive search for a missing 71-year-old man in the area of Steppig Road west of Bluff Road in rural Columbia.

Shortly after 8 p.m., the body of Marvin Mueller was found deceased in a water-filled creek at the edge of his large farm property located in the 2100 block of Steppig Road.

Monroe County Bob Hill pronounced Mueller deceased at 9 p.m.

Mueller was found in approximately six feet of water by the Mehlville (Mo.) Technical Rescue dive team after a K-9 directed searchers to that area of Little Carr Creek, Hill stated in a news release.

“An autopsy will take place on Thursday to aid in the investigation that is ongoing by the Monroe County Coroner’s Office to determine the cause and manner of death,” Hill said.

Funeral services take place Friday and Saturday in Columbia. For Mueller’s obituary, click here.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Jim Lansing said more than 150 volunteers participated in the day-long search. The area of the creek in which Mueller was found is about 20 feet wide and had about six feet of standing water, Lansing said.

“The family said he did a lot of walking,” Lansing told the Republic-Times, adding that Mueller typically checked the creek for debris and blockages following heavy rains.

“He may have just went there to check the creek,” Lansing said. “We really believe it was just an unfortunate accident.”

The official search began about 11 a.m., although neighbors reported they started looking for Mueller since about 8 a.m. Assistance from area departments continued throughout the day and into the evening.

Among the agencies providing the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and Columbia Fire Department with manpower and equipment for the search of nearby fields, grain bins and muddy terrain included Waterloo, Millstadt, Dupo, Red Bud, Valmeyer, Maeystown, Hecker, Smithton, Cahokia, Camp Jackson, Midway, Prairie Du Pont, Freeburg and Swansea fire departments, Columbia EMS, Gateway K-9 search team, Eureka (Mo.) Fire Department K-9 search unit, Kaskaskia Valley Regional Task Force, Monroe County EMA, St Clair County EMA, St. Clair County Emergency Special Services, Mehlville (Mo.) Fire Department Technical Rescue Team, Metro Air Helicopter Support and Illinois State Police Air Support.

Police continue to investigate an early morning burglary that occurred Sept. 6 at Millstadt Pharmacy, 120 W. Washington Street.

At 4:40 a.m., a Millstadt police officer conducting a routine business check at Millstadt Pharmacy observed forced entry to the back of the business.

Upon further investigation, it was revealed the alarm had been tampered with, although an audible alarm sounded for a short time.

A significant amount of narcotics were stolen from the business, police said.

Police are viewing video surveillance, although it appears a suspect entered the business shortly after 3:30 a.m. The surveillance also shows two suspects near the business about 1 a.m.

Anyone with information is asked to call 476-7250.

(Editor’s note: Information in this report is gathered directly from area police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or reduced as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police
Sept. 6
Tommie C. Dentman, 20, of St. Louis, was cited for unlawful use of mobile device, no insurance, no valid license, failure to wear seat belt and unlawful display of license plate on Route 3 northbound at I-255.

Edward A. Reinken, 44, of Millstadt, was arrested on an in-state warrant.

Sept. 7
Jennifer N. Grounds, 32, of St. Louis, was arrested for domestic battery.

Sept. 9
Emergency personnel responded about 10:20 p.m. to a two-car crash with injury on Route 3 at Wedgewood Drive in Columbia. A 2015 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Steven Hannaford, 39, of Swansea, was turning left onto northbound Route 3 from West Park Drive when it was struck by a 2010 Chevy Aveo driven by Matthew Lockhart, 27, of Oakdale, which was traveling north on Route 3. Hannaford was cited for failure to yield-turning left. Lockhart was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Monroe County Sheriff
Aug. 24
Christina L. Ledbetter, 43, of Waterloo, was cited for disorderly conduct.

Sept. 1
Kenneth Littrell, 30, of Waterloo, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault following an August incident involving a female victim with whom he had a previous relationship.

Sept. 5
A resident on KK Road reported a possible case of fraud. He used a website to purchase a puppy for $3,500, but has failed to receive the dog.

Sept. 8
Emergency responders and road district officials assisted in numerous county roadways being closed or restricted after several inches of rain had fallen Friday and Saturday. No injuries were reported, but there were successful rescues involving stranded motorists on Bluff Road at KK Road and DD Road near the railroad tracks in Columbia.

Sept. 9
Thurston Young, 38, of Belleville, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.

Sept. 11
More than a dozen area fire departments and a St. Louis County Police Department helicopter joined police and emergency personnel in the search for a missing 71-year-old man in the 2100 block of Steppig Road west of Bluff Road in rural Columbia. The official search for Marvin Mueller began about 11 a.m., although neighbors started looking for Mueller, whom they described as having health problems, since 8:30 a.m. Among the agencies providing the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and Columbia Fire Department with manpower and equipment for the search of nearby fields, grain bins and muddy terrain included the Waterloo, Red Bud, Valmeyer, Maeystown, Hecker, Millstadt, Smithton, Midway and Freeburg fire departments. The Monroe County Emergency Management Agency also assisted as well as Monroe County EMS, multiple K-9 units and a St. Clair County mobile command vehicle. The search continued as of press time.

Waterloo Police
Sept. 4
Ricky Lamb, 61, of Tulsa, Okla., was picked up on a Monroe County warrant for two counts of forgery stemming from 2016 incidents involving the Rural King store in Waterloo.

Dylan Franklin, 27, of Crystal City, Mo., was arrested for burglary, retail theft and criminal trespassing at Walmart. He is alleged to have stolen a 50-inch TV from the store.

Sept. 8
Robert W. Bergman, 37, of Waterloo, was arrested for aggravated domestic battery, criminal damage to property and resisting a peace officer following an incident in the 600 block of Mark Drive. Bergman fled the scene on foot but was found hiding in the woods, where police used a Taser to subdue him.

Sept. 9
Laura Acton, 28, of Waterloo, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl) near Applebee’s, 923 State Route 3.

Sept. 10
Ashley Voyles, 26, of Waterloo, was charged with criminal trespass to motor vehicle and felony obstructing justice following an Aug. 29 incident.

Sept. 11
Tyler Bergman, 28, of Waterloo, was charged with two counts of theft (control/intent) stemming from incidents that occurred Aug. 27-28 involving a trimmer, leaf blower and laptop computer.

(Editor’s note: Information in this report is gathered directly from area police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or reduced as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police

Sept. 12 – Megan N. Weiss, 29, of Dupo, was arrested for DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol, possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia at 850 Columbia Center.

Sept. 13 – Eric Campbell, 27, of East Carondelet, was arrested on a Monroe County failure to appear warrant for retail theft.

Sept. 16 – Christa N. Riley, 39, of Dupo, was arrested for DUI, speeding and improper lane usage on I-255 northbound.

Sept. 17 – Demarcus D. Pasley, 32, of East St. Louis, was arrested on a Madison County failure to appear warrant and for no valid license on Route 3 southbound at Southwoods Drive.

Sept. 17 – The theft of a 5-foot-by-8-foot Rice utility trailer from the 100 block of South Main Street is under investigation. The owner last saw the trailer, valued at $1,000, parked at the back of their property at 7 a.m. Sept. 16. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call 281-5151.

Millstadt Police

Sept. 6 – At 4:40 a.m., an officer conducting a routine business check at Millstadt Pharmacy, 120 W. Washington Street, observed forced entry to the back of the business. Upon further investigation, it was revealed the alarm had been tampered with, although an audible alarm sounded for a short time. A significant amount of narcotics were stolen from the business. Police are viewing video surveillance, although it appears a suspect entered the business shortly after 3:30 a.m. The surveillance also shows two suspects near the business about 1 a.m. Anyone with information is asked to call 476-7250.

Sept. 7 – At 8:23 a.m., police responded to a motorcycle crash in the 600 block of West Washington Street. The female operator of the motorcycle lost control while making the turn where South Illinois Street becomes Washington Street. She was transported to a St. Louis hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Monroe County Sheriff

Sept. 10 – Olajuwon Johnson, 24, of St. Clair County, was arrested on an Illinois Department of Corrections parole violation on Garleb Road at B Road.

Sept. 12 – Emergency personnel responded shortly after 6:50 a.m. to a crash in the area of 3011 HH Road near Deer Hill Road in rural Waterloo. The vehicle had driven off the roadway into Fountain Creek. Dylan Smith, 34, of Waterloo, was cited for driving too fast for conditions and failure to report a crash to police.

Sept. 12 – A possible report of fraud is under investigation after a resident on South Ronnie Drive purchased a Ranger for $2,000 on Craigslist but never received the item.

Sept. 13 – Bryce Burgdorf, 21, of Red Bud, was arrested on a Monroe County failure to appear warrant on Route 3 at South Library Street in Waterloo.

Sept. 16 – Bobby S. Grosser, 47, was arrested on a Collinsville Police Department warrant on Country Club Lane at North Rogers Street in Waterloo.

Sept. 16 – Jeremiah Matthews, 20, of Waterloo, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant and cited for unlawful consumption of alcohol on West Monroe Street in Hecker.

Waterloo Police

Sept. 4 – Shannon Hudgens, 45, of Festus, Mo., was arrested on warrants out of Wayne County, Mo., and also for fugitive from justice.

Sept. 11 – Dylan J. Michael, 25, of Waterloo, was arrested at 7052 Fountain Creek Ridge Lane on a Monroe County probation violation for possession of a controlled substance. He was also arrested for retail theft stemming from an Aug. 23 incident at Walmart.

Sept. 13 – Devin Conaway, 25, of Waterloo, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of firearm ammunition without FOID, no front plate, no insurance, unlawful display of plates and defective windshield at Circle K, 209 S. Market Street.

Sept. 14 – Douglas Moore, 65, of Waterloo, was arrested on a Jefferson County, Mo., warrant on Rau Street.

Sept. 14 – Marlon Brown, 60, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo., was arrested for DUI on Route 3.

Sept. 14 – Tina Obst, 46, of Waterloo, was arrested on a Clayton, Mo., failure to appear warrant for possession of a controlled substance.

Sept. 14 – Angela King, 58, of Dupo, was arrested on an Effingham County warrant

Sept. 17 – Police are encouraging Walmart customers to keep an eye on their wallets after at least six customers reported wallets missing from purses in unattended carts inside the store over the past several days. Police are investigating the thefts. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 939-3377.

Demont Whitby

Joshua Spears

John Juengel

Dupo police have charged three men in connection with a string of burglaries that occurred in town earlier this month.

On Sept. 13, officers responded to several burglaries to motor vehicles and two garage break-ins.

Following an investigation, John Juengel, 23, of Columbia, was charged with three counts of burglary and Joshua Spears, 18, of East Carondelet, was charged with four counts of burglary. Demont Whitby, 22, of East St. Louis, was also charged with multiple counts of burglary.

Bond for Juengel is $75,000 and bond for both Spears and Whitby is $50,000. All remain in custody at the St. Clair County Jail.

Dupo police said that during the course of an investigation, officers learned that a suspect vehicle, identified as a 2002 Ford Escape, left the area with two suspects and drove to Kansas.

Dupo police worked with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and DeSoto Police Department in Kansas to locate the suspects. 

“Through the investigation, Spears and the Ford Escape made their way back to Illinois,” police stated in a news release. “Spears dropped the Escape off at the Walmart on Telegraph Road in Missouri in an attempt to hide the vehicle. He was taken into custody as soon as he returned to Illinois.” 

With the help of the St. Louis County Police Department, the suspect vehicle was impounded and held for Dupo police. 

“Officers searched the Escape with permission from the owner and located several items that were stolen in the burglaries,” Dupo police stated in the release.

Through further investigation, officers also learned Juengel was attempting to return to this area from Kansas. He was taken into custody upon re-entering Illinois.

Whitby was taken into custody Thursday in Belleville.

“Officers worked around the clock to solve these burglaries,” Dupo police stated in the news release. “These types of crimes can be avoided by taking extra precautions. We ask that everyone in the community lock your car doors, sheds and garages and houses. If you hear anything in the night outside your house or your dogs are barking at unusual times, please notify the police department for an extra patrol check. We as a community have to work together to try and prevent these crimes from happening.”

(Editor’s note: Information in this report is gathered directly from area police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or reduced as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police

Sept. 22 – Joshua S. Lewis, 30, of St. Louis, was arrested for child abduction following an incident at Bolm-Schuhkraft Park shortly after 7:20 p.m. Lewis was with his daughter and his daughter’s biological mother in the park and following a disagreement over custody, Lewis tried to leave with his daughter by grabbing her and running toward his vehicle. Several men in the park detained Lewis until police arrived.  

Sept. 22 – Austin D. Zimmerman, 27, of Columbia, was arrested for domestic battery at 507 N. Main Street.

Sept. 25 – A woman was arrested following an early morning crash on Route 3 at Veterans Parkway. A 2003 PT Cruiser driven by Tara Franklin, 26, of East St. Louis, was traveling south on Route 3 and attempting to turn right onto Veterans Parkway about 6:25 a.m. when the vehicle lost control and skidded in wet conditions, striking a traffic signal pole at the corner of the intersection. The pole fell onto the roadway with wires from the damaged signal box exposed. The PT Cruiser drove away from the scene, but Columbia’s traffic enforcement officer was stationed at the Columbia High School parking lot and witnessed the crash. The officer tracked down the vehicle and pulled it over a short time later on Veterans Parkway. Franklin, who was not injured, was arrested for driving while license suspended, driving too fast for conditions, disobeying a traffic signal and attempted fleeing or eluding police.

Millstadt Police

Sept. 21 – At about 7:45 a.m., police took a report of criminal damage to property at a storage shed behind the ball diamonds on Kalbfleisch Drive. The lock was broken on the door, but nothing inside appeared to be disturbed.

Monroe County Sheriff

Sept. 16 – Robert J. Koch, 61, of Valmeyer, was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County after his 2005 Toyota Camry struck a camper near a cluster of trees off Route 156 about one mile west of Meyer Avenue about 12:40 p.m.

Sept. 17 – Robert Henerfauth, 71, of Waterloo, was cited for cruelty to animal (malnourished dog) at 2150 Carr Road in Prairie du Rocher.

Sept. 20 – A report of criminal damage to property in the 4000 block of LL Road is under investigation. The wires were cut on a 2008 Honda CBR600RR motorcycle and it appeared to have been rewired for a possible theft. 

Sept. 21 – Anna M. Parnell, 25, of Belleville, was cited for improper use of an electronic device on Route 159 at Braun Road.

Sept. 22 – Thomas Toal, 22, of Waterloo, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.

Sept. 22 – Todd J. Villa, 33, of East St. Louis, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant.

Sept. 23 – The theft of a red 1980 Honda motorcycle parked near a shed at 2430 Hawkhaven Drive is under investigation.

Sept. 25 – Neal Vogt, 28, of Mt. Vernon, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.

Sept. 25 – Bernard Johnson, 30, of St. Louis, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.

Waterloo Police

Sept. 13 – A juvenile was cited for unlawful possession of alcohol at Waterloo High School.

Sept. 18 – Malissa McDonald, 31, of Waterloo, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant at 108 Rau Street.

Sept. 19 – Kyle Kehrer, 18, of Waterloo, was cited for unlawful consumption of alcohol and issued city ordinance violations for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia at 1022 Creekside Drive.

Sept. 24 – A juvenile was issued a city ordinance violation for possession of drug paraphernalia at Waterloo High School.

Sept. 24 – Savvanna Harmon, 20, of Waterloo, was arrested for two counts of domestic battery and one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of hypodermic syringe at 506 W. Mill Street.

Red Bud firefighters extinguish the blaze Tuesday morning on Lost Acres Lane. (James “Tal” Moss photo)

A homeowner is lucky to be alive following an explosion in his garage near Red Bud.

The Red Bud Fire Department responded about 9:45 a.m. Tuesday to a house fire at 3781 Lost Acres Lane off Ames Road in rural Monroe County.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and Monroe County EMS also responded to the scene. The fire was mostly confined to the attached garage area of the home.

Red Bud Fire Chief Kevin Miller told the North County News that the homeowner, Ron Hughes, was in the garage/basement area filling his lawnmower with gasoline. Unfortunately, he was too close to the hot water heater at the time and gas fumes ignited, causing an explosion.

Miller added that Hughes is fortunate and the situation could have been much worse. Hughes was injured in the incident and was transported by Monroe County EMS to a St. Louis hospital.

The lawnmower and a vehicle inside the garage were totally destroyed, and another vehicle sustained minor damage.

(Editor’s note: Information in this report is gathered directly from area police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or reduced as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police
Sept. 29
Talon D. Pile, 21, of East Alton, was arrested for DUI and improper lane usage on Route 3 at Gilmore Lake Road.

Sept. 30
At about 12:30 p.m., a woman reported her suicidal husband had driven from their home with a gun in his Jeep and headed toward the bank of the Mississippi River directly below the J.B. Bridge. Columbia police, EMS and fire, along with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, responded to the area of the bridge. Shortly after 1:15 p.m., the subject’s wife called again to report her husband was at Red Roof Liquor & Lottery off Palmer Road. Police took him into custody and EMS transported him to an area hospital.

Oct. 1
Ethan C. Atchison, 25, of Imperial, Mo., was arrested for DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol and failure to signal on I-255 at milepost 4.8.

Kristen Kohne, 26, of St. Louis, was arrested for possession of a hypodermic syringe on Route 3 at Veterans Parkway.

Illinois State Police
Sept. 29
Shortly after 11 p.m., an Illinois State Police Emergency Radio Network broadcast alerted law enforcement agencies of a wrong-way elderly driver traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-255 in St. Clair County. An East Carondelet police officer was able to stop the vehicle at mile marker 10 near the Cahokia exit without further incident.

Monroe County Sheriff
Sept. 25
The theft of an item valued at more than $300 from a package delivered by Federal Express to a property on Rachel Drive near Hecker is under investigation.

Sept. 27
Scott Lloyd, 43, of Waterloo, was arrested for felony driving while license revoked and possession of methamphetamine.

A report of criminal damage at 2560 Sutterville Road is under investigation. A washing machine, siding and windows were reported to have been shot with a shotgun at the home, which is vacant due to a recent fire. 

Sept. 28
Melissa A. Schade, 34, of St. Louis, was arrested on Palmer Road at Route 3 in Columbia for heroin trafficking and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, both Class 3 felonies. She remains in the county jail with bond set at $30,000.

No injuries were reported following a 3 p.m. crash involving a Chevrolet sedan driven by a 16-year-old Waterloo girl and an International grain truck owned by Ronald Schewe in the area of 1068 Gall Road in rural Waterloo.

Sept. 29
Altamese Young, 32, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant and for driving while license revoked on I-255.

Addison J. Gunter, 21, of Red Bud, was arrested for DUI and speeding on South Main Street in Hecker.

Sept. 30
Todd R. Roscow, 47, of Red Bud, was arrested for domestic battery at 8048 Roscow Road.

Oct. 1
Alec Mooney, 19, of Waterloo, was charged with burglary stemming from a Sept. 22 incident at 2430 Hawkhaven Drive.

Waterloo Police
Sept. 8
Michael Heidorn, 51, of Belleville, was arrested for DUI and improper lane usage on North Market Street at Plaza Drive.

Sept. 17
Brenden A. Piazza, 24, of Waterloo, was arrested for domestic battery in the 400 block of Glendell Lane. 

Sept. 24
Keith A. Radford II, 23, of Waterloo, was arrested for possession of cannabis (between 100 and 500 grams), possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and no rear registration light on Morrison Avenue at Front Street.

Sept. 27
James Greenwell Jr., 18, of Waterloo, was arrested for failure to register as a sex offender following a traffic stop on East First Street at North Market Street.

Zachary Distler, 30, of Edwardsville, was arrested for obstructing identification at Walmart, 961 N. Market Street.

Brittany Hurley, 31, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol and improper lane usage on Route 3 at Vandebrook Drive.

Sept. 28
Erin Mitchell, 40, of East Carondelet, was arrested for DUI and improper display of license plate on Route 3 at HH Road.

Michael L. Fink, 52, of Waterloo, was arrested for assault (threats) at 509 N. Moore Street.

The Waterloo Police Department is investigating two separate retail thefts that occurred Saturday during the late afternoon and early evening hours.

The first incident took place at Hibbett Sports, 915 N. Illinois Route 3. At about 3:50 p.m., two African American females left the store with merchandise valued at $700. They were last seen traveling north on Route 3 in a charcoal or grey-colored four-door sedan, police said.

Shortly after 5:45 p.m., another retail theft was reported at Rural King, 740 N. Market Street. Police said a white female and a young boy, possibly her son, walked out of the store with a bag full of items and were last seen in a grey Ford truck with an unknown direction of travel.

Anyone with information on either incident is asked to call the Waterloo Police Department at 939-3377.

Derek Schopp

Two Missouri men and a juvenile were arrested on weapon and drug charges late last Wednesday night in Waterloo after a gas station clerk observed suspicious activity in the parking lot of the business.

Jeremy S. Sewell, 38, of High Ridge, Mo., and Derek C. Schopp, 27, of Manchester, Mo., each face three Class X felony counts of armed violence in addition to three counts of possession of weapons by a felon, two counts of possession of ammunition by a felon and possession of methamphetamine.

A juvenile was charged with armed violence and meth possession in connection with the incident.

Jeremy Sewell

Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing said that an employee of Mobil on the Run, 1000 N. Illinois Route 3, observed the men acting suspiciously in the gas station parking lot at about 11 p.m. Oct. 10 and alerted police. A deputy conducted surveillance on the suspect vehicle and eventually conducted a traffic stop a short distance away from the gas station.

Three handguns were recovered from inside the vehicle, at least one of which turned out to be stolen from a burglary reported in Missouri, Rohlfing said.

Sewell and Schopp remain in custody at the Monroe County Jail in Waterloo with bond set at $100,000.

According to Illinois law, a convicted felon commits armed violence when, while armed with a dangerous weapon, he commits another felony. In this case, possession of meth was the other felony.

If convicted of armed violence, Sewell and Schopp face mandatory minimum prison sentences of 15 years.

Pictured is a surveillance image from the Waterloo Walmart of a person of interest sought in connection with Wednesday’s attempted bank robbery at First National Bank of Waterloo.

Waterloo police are seeking a person of interest following an attempted bank robbery reported early Wednesday evening at First National Bank of Waterloo, located at 744 N. Market Street near Rural King.

The incident, which police classified as “unique,” was reported about 5:50 p.m. No weapon was used, but there was a note involved. Police remain tight-lipped about the circumstances of the case at this time, but said there was not any face-to-face contact between the suspect and bank personnel and no one entered the banking facility.

The drive-through at that bank location closes at 5 p.m. and the lobby closes at 4:30 p.m. The suspect had departed prior to police arrival.

An employee of the bank found a threatening note demanding money while in the bank parking lot shortly after closing time. The letter apparently indicated some level of surveillance had previously been conducted by the suspect, police said.

Police believe the suspect purchased items used in the crime at the Waterloo Walmart.

The dark-colored car seen in this surveillance image is the one that was believed to have been driven by the person of interest in Wednesday’s attempted bank robbery.

The Waterloo Police Department is seeking assistance with the identification of a man seen in surveillance images provided by the Waterloo Walmart. This person of interest was driving a dark-colored vehicle seen backing into an aisle in the Walmart parking lot.

Wesley H. Reinhardt

A Millstadt man was charged this weekend with six felonies, including attempted murder, after it is alleged that he struck an elderly man in the head with a shovel and repeatedly hit him during a Thursday night altercation at Reinhardt’s Restaurant in Millstadt.

Charged in the case is Wesley H. Reinhardt, 45, of Millstadt, with attempted murder and five counts of aggravated battery. He remains at the St. Clair County Jail in Belleville on $750,000 bond.

“At this time, we are unable to disclose the relationship between the defendant and the victim other than to say this was not a domestic situation,” the Millstadt Police Department stated in a Sunday morning news release.

Police said the victim has since been released from the hospital and the investigation into this case is ongoing.

Shortly after 9:40 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a 911 call at the restaurant, located at 201 W. Madison Street in Millstadt, for a fight in progress. Millstadt EMS also responded after it was advised that an elderly male victim was found injured outside of the restaurant. A St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department deputy also provided assistance at the scene.

The aggravated battery charges allege that in addition to striking the man in the head with a shovel and hitting him multiple times, Reinhardt “wrapped his arm around the victim’s neck and applied pressure,” police said.

On July 13, Reinhardt was arrested following a disturbance in the alley behind the 200 block of W. Washington Street in Millstadt. Reinhardt, who was armed with a baseball bat in that incident, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of disorderly conduct. 

Benjamin A. Ducey

Police on Monday charged a Belleville man in connection with last week’s attempted robbery of a Waterloo bank.

Benjamin A. Ducey, 28, of Belleville, was charged with intimidation/physical harm, which is a Class 3 felony.

Ducey is currently being held by the St. Charles (Mo.) Police Department on unrelated offenses.

“For all those who contacted the Waterloo Police Department with information about Ducey, we appreciate the assistance and support,” the police department stated in a news release.

Court information alleges that on Oct. 17, Ducey left a threatening note in a backpack on an employee’s vehicle in the First National Bank of Waterloo parking lot at 744 N. Market Street, demanding money from the bank.

The police department released surveillance images provided by Waterloo Walmart of a person of interest sought in the case, which provided some positive leads.

For last week’s story, click here.