Former Columbia Police Chief Joe Edwards

Columbia’s embattled chief of police Joe Edwards’ resignation from the Columbia Police Department was officially accepted Monday night by the Columbia City Council, bringing to an end several months of speculation about the future of the 24-year CPD veteran.

Edwards was put on paid administrative leave in February as the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department was called upon to conduct an investigation into a domestic matter involving Edwards and his family as part of divorce proceedings. The case was eventually turned over to a special prosecutor with the Illinois State’s Attorney Special Prosecution Unit.

Monday night, the Columbia City Council accepted Edwards’ retirement effective April 30, 2016 by formally approving an authorization to enter into a separation agreement and release. Deputy Chief of Police Jerry Paul was subsequently approved as the new police chief.

Edwards will receive about $42,000 from the city in the form of unused vacation and comp time, per Illinois state statute, and two months of health and vision insurance compensation, per an agreement between Edwards and the city. Other details of the separation agreement are confidential.

Matt Goetten of the Special Prosecution Unit said a decision has not been made on if Edwards will face criminal charges. The office has three years to decide on felony charges and 18 months on misdemeanor charges, according to Goetten, who added, “However, we will have made a determination long before those periods run (out).”

For the full story, read this week’s issue of the Republic-Times.

(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
May 2 – Steven W. Goforth, 28, of Columbia, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant at 1035 N. Briegel Street.
May 3 – Matthew W. Tutor, 24, of St. Louis, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant on Veterans Parkway at Admiral Parkway.
May 4 – Craig A. Martin, 36, of House Springs, Mo., was arrested for DUI, driving while license revoked, driving on the shoulder and failure to signal on I-255 westbound.
May 4 – Demetrius A. Jackson, 34, of St. Louis, was arrested on an in-state warrant at 100 Admiral Trost Boulevard.
May 7 – Olivia S. Main, 18, of Belleville, was arrested for DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia and improper lane usage on Admiral Parkway northbound at Carl Street.
May 7 – Steven J. Wagner, 37, of Columbia, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant and for expired registration on South Main Street.
May 8 – Sarah J. Gordon-Malloy, 27, of Belleville, was arrested on two fugitive from justice out-of-state warrants.

Monroe County Sheriff
May 3 – Kayla Clines, 26, of Columbia, was arrested on H Road for a Monroe County warrant and is also facing theft charges stemming from money allegedly taken while she was providing healthcare services to a patient.
May 6 – The Waterloo Fire Department assisted Monroe County EMS and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department in responding shortly after 2 a.m. to a vehicle crash at 6143 Konarcik Road with power lines down. The driver, John T. Ross of Freeburg, was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County for treatment of minor injuries.
May 7 – Deputies and emergency personnel responded about 3:30 p.m. to a pickup truck rollover crash on MM Road at Reed Road west of Red Bud. Injuries were believed to be minor.
May 8 – Deputies assisted Monroe County EMS about 1:30 a.m. after multiple teens were reportedly burned during a bonfire party in the area of Bluff Road and Stringtown Road near Fults. The injured teens suffered second and third degree burns, police said, after someone apparently placed a can with aerosol on the fire and it exploded.
May 10 – Deputies assisted the Waterloo Fire Department and Monroe County EMS in responding about 12:30 p.m. to the scene of a white Ford truck that rolled over into a field on Route 3 south of KK Road. There were no serious injuries reported.

Waterloo Police
May 3 – Aaron Liefer, 32, of Waterloo, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.
May 6 – Jackie DeBerry, 25, of Rosebud, Mo., was arrested at Walmart for retail theft, three counts of possession of a controlled substance (heroin, oxycodone, alprazolam), possession of a hypodermic syringe and possession of drug paraphernalia. She is alleged to have taken six items of clothing and two pairs of earrings from the store.

A former Columbia resident entered guilty pleas Thursday in federal court to several charges in connection with bank and loan fraud.

Theodore J. Longust, 50, is now facing a prison sentence of up to 240 years and fines of up to $4.5 million when sentencing occurs on Sept. 6.

Longust was charged with financial institution fraud, misapplication of funds, money laundering and making false records with intent to deceive.

Court information provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office states that Longust was an employee of Scott Credit Union in the commercial loan department from Nov. 7, 2005, through Dec. 8, 2014, holding the title of business relationship manager. Longust executed a scheme to defraud through the embezzlement of credit union funds, the creation of fraudulent loans, payment of loans through the misapplication of funds from other loans, the increase of credit limits on loans that did not have board approval, the issuance of business loans without the required documentation or security and issuance of letters of credit without required documentation and security.

The indictment also alleged that Longust knowingly submitted a false report to Scott Credit Union for the third quarter of 2014 that misstated loan balances and omitted loan amounts and underreported loans of more than $12 million.

“While we are not in the business of giving the public financial or legal advice, the public should know that our investigation revealed that the safety and soundness of Scott Credit Union has not been adversely affected by the criminal conduct,” Acting U.S. Attorney Porter stated. “We thank the employees of Scott Credit Union, who fully cooperated in our federal investigation.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service assisted in this case.

(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
May 11 – Jamie Hutton, 35, of East Carondelet, was arrested for DUI, improper lane usage, failure to signal, no insurance and no valid registration on Route 3 at Sand Bank Road.
May 11 – Devon L. McClenahan, 32, of Columbia, was arrested for theft after allegedly stealing a king-sized comforter belonging to an off-duty Columbia police officer at Big Al’s Dirty Laundry, 125 W. Locust Street.
May 13 – Robert A. Miles, 32, of Belleville, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, no insurance and driving while license suspended on I-255.
May 14 – Michelle L. Herbeck, 35, of Columbia, was arrested for DUI, no insurance and illegal transportation of alcohol on Route 3 at Gall Road.

Monroe County Sheriff
May 10 – Meghan E. Burton, 30, of Waterloo, was arrested on a petition to revoke probation warrant out of Monroe County.
May 10 – David F. Mothershead, 20, of Fults, was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center for treatment of a neck injury sustained when the 1999 Ford F150 he was driving on Route 3 just south of KK Road ran off the roadway, striking a sign post and going into the ditch, rolling over.
May 11 – Mistie Johnson, 25, of Waterloo, was arrested for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia on the levee just south of I-255.
May 12 – A Columbia man and two Belleville women were arrested on drug charges after Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing conducted an afternoon traffic stop of a vehicle driving recklessly on Route 3 in Columbia. The vehicle pulled over in the Dollar General parking lot, after which Rohlfing detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside. A search of the vehicle and its passengers uncovered 10 buttons of heroin along with Xanax pills and marijuana. Charged with possession of a controlled substance in the incident were Frank A. Zdanowski III, 30, of Columbia, and Madeline R. Sutherland, 20, and Destiny L. Walta, 19, both of Belleville.
May 13 – Melissa Pelate, 35, of O’Fallon, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.
May 13 – Robert W. Bergman, 35, of Waterloo, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia stemming from an April 30 incident.
May 14 – Adam J. Wittenauer, 28, of Red Bud, was arrested on a Randolph County warrant on Route 156.
May 15 – Matthew Korves, 25, of Baldwin, was arrested on a probation violation warrant for missing a court date.
The theft of newly installed steel solar lights from a yard on Timber Lake Court is under investigation.

Waterloo Police
May 3 – Kim D. Gibson, 41, of Red Bud, was arrested for possession of cannabis and on a fugitive from justice out-of-state warrant on Route 3.
May 5 – Jason Burgdorf, 29, of Red Bud, was arrested for DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol and driving on the shoulder on Route 3 at Vandebrook Drive.
May 6 – Tabitha Henson, 39, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI, improper parking on the roadway, no insurance and driving while license revoked on Ditch’s Run at Mahala Drive.
May 10 – Sharon Keeney, 56, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI, illegal transportation, improper lane usage and no insurance on Illinois Avenue at Route 3.
May 12 – Todd Williams, 52, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI, speeding (74 in a 45 mph zone) and improper passing on Route 3 at Columbia Avenue.
May 12 – Nicolette D.J. Wilson, 41, of Waterloo, was charged with possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition without FOID. The incident occurred April 20.
May 16 – Brendan Piazza, 21, of Waterloo, was arrested for domestic battery at 726 Pheasant Run.

Chief of Police Jerry Paul

The man who has served as Columbia’s deputy police chief for the past dozen years is ready to step in and lead the department.

Jerry Paul, 49, was appointed as police chief following the resignation of longtime chief Joe Edwards last week. Paul had been serving as acting chief since Edwards was put on paid leave by the city due to an investigation stemming from unspecified domestic issues.

“I’m very excited to hit the ground running,” said Paul, who attended an orientation and training session last week in Springfield with 50 other new chiefs.

Paul has been with the Columbia Police Department since 1994, serving as deputy chief for the past 12 years.
Prior to arriving in Columbia, the Granite City native served with the Madison Police Department for two years.

He has also taught at the Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy for a number of years.

As for how he intends to guide the department in the near future, Paul said he wants to continue the same methods of law enforcement that have worked in Columbia over recent years.

“I don’t see that there’s going to be a big change as far as how we do the day-in, day-out job with our officers,” Paul said.

The key theme of the CPD is visibility, especially in the high-traffic area of Route 3 (Admiral Parkway) and its lighted intersections…>>>

Read more in the May 25 issue of the Republic-Times. If you don’t already receive the paper, you can subscribe by calling 939-3814 or clicking here. Or you can pick up a copy at the R-T office at 205 W. Mill Street in Waterloo or at any of these other locations.

Dennis Cooley

A Monroe County man and his daughter were apprehended Friday in Madison County following nearly a month on the run from an alleged armed robbery that occurred at Sunset Motel in Waterloo.

Dennis W. Cooley, 37, and Candice D. Cooley, 18, both of Columbia, were taken into custody by Maryville police and transported to the Monroe County Jail in Waterloo on felony armed robbery charges. They remain in jail on $250,000 bond.

Candice Cooley

Their partner in the alleged April 28 incident, Ryan J. Aukema, 18, of Columbia, was arrested and charged in the case earlier this month. He also remains in the county jail.

Waterloo police said the robbery occurred about 3 a.m. April 28 at Sunset Motel, located on South Market Street. Aukema and the Cooleys allegedly brandished a weapon and stole cell phones, watches and other belongings from multiple victims aged in their teens.

The incident was not reported to police until about seven hours after the alleged crime occurred. No injuries were reported in the robbery.

“It appears that the parties involved knew each other,” Waterloo Police Chief Jim Trantham said.

Ryan Aukema

In 2015, Dennis Cooley was placed on 30 months of probation for felony unlawful restraint. Charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated domestic battery filed in connection with that case were dismissed.

In 2014, Aukema was placed on four years of probation and ordered to perform community service for felony robbery following a November 2013 incident at Meadowridge Park in Columbia, during which a bong used for smoking marijuana was stolen from two young individuals.

Sgt. Alfred Descher

Officer William Rauch

“Fifty two years ago, my grandfather, Sgt. Alfred Descher of the Columbia Police Department, was killed in the line of duty. Until now, his sacrifice was never formally honored.”

Those were the words Sgt. Descher’s grandson, Jim Descher of Wildwood, Mo., expressed on Facebook after witnessing the Monroe County sheriff’s and Columbia police departments honor his fallen hero during a ceremony last Tuesday at the Monroe County courthouse.

“I wish my dad could have been there today,” Jim said. “He was only 25 years old when his father was killed, and I don’t think he ever really got over that. Even up to the time of his own death 15 years ago, Dad still choked up when he spoke of that night in February 1964.”

Additionally, the ceremony recognized special Columbia Police Officer William Rauch, who died in much the same manner as Descher.

Rauch’s grandson, Bill, went to the courthouse to observe the ceremony and receive recognition for his grandfather…>>>

Read the rest of this story in the June 1 issue of the Republic-Times. If you don’t already receive the paper, you can subscribe by calling 939-3814 or clicking here, or pick up a copy at any of these locations.

Valmeyer firemen work on the scene of a fire at 113 E. Woodland Ridge late Thursday morning. (Sean McGowan photo)

The Valmeyer Fire Department responded along with police and EMS personnel to a fire reported at 113 E. Woodland Ridge about 10:35 a.m. Thursday.

A neighbor called in the fire upon observing smoke coming from the back of the home, which belongs to Rob and Lori Vance. The Vances weren’t home at the time of the incident, but the children who were home safely evacuated without injury.

Firemen remained on scene for more than an hour.

The fire was caused by a barbecue grill that was leaning against the house. The fire spread to the exterior panels of the home, burning off siding and damaging the patio. Firefighters prevented any damage from taking place inside the home, Valmeyer Fire Chief Floyd Floarke said.

“We want to thank our neighbors, family, the Valmeyer Police Chief and Valmeyer Fire Department for saving our sons and our home,” Lori Vance said. “We are very grateful for all they did for us.”

Two were charged with felony firearm offenses following a traffic stop in Waterloo on Wednesday.

Waterloo police said Carmen Medley, 24, of Belleville, and Shandis Barker, 33, of East St. Louis, were each charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

Barker was stopped for a traffic violation shortly before 9 p.m. While conducting the stop, an officer noticed what appeared to be a large electronics box stuffed in the trunk and a 50-inch flat screen TV in the back seat.

Upon further investigation, it was determined that the electronics items, valued at about $1,200, had just been stolen from the Waterloo Walmart.

During a search of the vehicle, police located a nine millimeter pistol that was hidden in the center console area.

Medley was also charged with felony retail theft in connection with the incident.

Firefighters work at the scene of an early morning fire at Mystic Oak golf course in Waterloo. (Kermit Constantine photo)

The Waterloo and Columbia fire departments responded to a fire in the pool house next to the main clubhouse at Mystic Oak golf course in Waterloo. The call went out about 1:30 a.m. Monday.

Flames were seen shooting from the building, located at 643 Ridge Road, with some stray embers hitting neighboring homes, according to arriving police officers on scene. There were also several small explosions heard inside the burning building. Several golf carts appeared destroyed. The flames were contained to the pool house, with no injuries being reported.

Waterloo Fire Chief Brett Wiegand said the fire was reported using 911 by a neighbor. Upon arrival, the main floor of the old pool house and several golf carts were fully engulfed.

“Due to concern that the main structure may have been involved when we first received the call, we requested that the Columbia Fire Department respond for mutual aid,” Wiegand said. “When we arrived on scene, we established two attack lines and set up our ladder truck to quickly extinguish the fire and to verify that it has only melted some siding on the main building.”

The cause of the fire is undetermined, Wiegand said, due to damage to both the building and golf carts parked nearby.

“There was no good way to make a determination if it started inside the building or outside the building,” Wiegand said.

An original log structure dating back to around the 1850s, the pool house building was used for dry storage on the main floor. Beverage carts that were parked in the lower level were undamaged, Wiegand said, along with an ice machine that was still running until firemen turned off power to the building.

The contents on the main floor and golf carts were a total loss, since the fire had been burning for a considerable amount of time before it was reported.

Waterloo firefighters returned to the scene shortly after 1:30 p.m. Monday for a rekindling of the burned-out building.

(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
May 24 – Kirsten K. Morton, 54, of St. Louis, was arrested on a fugitive from justice out-of-state warrant and also for driving on a revoked license and improper use of registration on Route 3 at Frontage Road.
May 24 – Aaron J. Mardirosian, 24, of Columbia, was arrested on a warrant and charged with DUI stemming from an April 11 incident on Route 156 at D Road.
May 25 – Sabrina R. Stawizynski, 39, of Columbia, was arrested for felony retail theft. She was subsequently sentenced to one year in the Illinois Department of Corrections stemming from a prior charge of theft in February 2015.
May 26 – A 16-year-old was arrested at Bolm-Schuhkraft Park on a St. Clair County warrant and transported to the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention.
May 28 – A 17-year-old Columbia male was arrested for DUI on Ferkel Street at Mueller Street.
May 29 – Grant C. Thornhill, 18, of Columbia, was arrested for possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of alcohol by a minor at Bolm-Schuhkraft Park. Also arrested was Isaac J. Hoffman-Reichert, 18, of Columbia, for possession of cannabis and possession of alcohol.
May 30 – Ronald D. Chambliss, 48, of Valmeyer, was arrested for DUI, possession of a hypodermic needle, driving while revoked, no insurance and no seat belt on Route 3 at Gilmore Lake Road.

Monroe County Sheriff
May 21 – Joshua D. Newsome, 26, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI in the 800 block of Sunflower Drive in Waterloo.
May 25 -Rodney T. Dale, 35, of Prairie du Rocher, was arrested for criminal damage to property after he allegedly damaged the windshield of a vehicle on Ames Road.

Waterloo Police
May 21 – Clifford Jackson, 38, of Waterloo, was issued city ordinance violations for failure to restrain a pit bull and failure to inoculate the dog for rabies in the 200 block of Osterhage.
May 23 – Gloria J. Yearian, 56, of Red Bud, was arrested for retail theft at Walmart after allegedly taking diapers, a toddler bed and bassinet from the store.
May 24 – Mandy Herring, 37, of Valmeyer, was arrested for retail theft at Walmart after allegedly taking jewelry boxes and other items from the store.
May 25 – Camden Hurst, 19, of Waterloo, was cited for unlawful consumption of alcohol in the 100 block of Roosevelt.
May 27 – Cory Jones, 25, and Rebecca Hayes, 19, both of Waterloo, were each arrested for retail theft at Walmart. Jones is alleged to have taken a Halo Mega Blok; Hayes is alleged to have taken two DVDs.

A Waterloo man was sentenced Friday to five years in federal prison on child pornography charges.

Nicholas J. Perjak, 35, entered a guilty plea earlier this year on the charges, which include attempting to access with intent to view child porn and access with intent to view child porn.

Perjak’s 60-month prison sentence on four counts is to run concurrently, followed by 10 years of supervised release on each count, also to run concurrently. Perjak was also fined $400 and ordered to pay a $400 special assessment.

These charges arose from an investigation by the FBI’s New Orleans office in which IP addresses were captured when an individual, using a particular IP address, visited a website that contained links to child porn and subsequently clicked on a link that indicated, through the description of the link, that the link would lead to child porn.

An administrative subpoena issued as part of the investigation determined that one of the captured IP addresses was registered to Perjak at his prior residence in Waterloo. The investigation by the New Orleans office revealed that Perjak attempted to access child porn on this website in 2011, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Investigators conducted an interview with Perjak in December 2012, during which he provided a statement identifying a Dell laptop computer as the computer he primarily used for work and personal business.

Perjak admitted viewing child porn for approximately two years, prosecutors said, and admitted being addicted to child porn.

Perjak also admitted viewing child porn of girls aged between 10 and 16.

A forensic review of Perjak’s laptop computer revealed approximately 6,164 images of child porn.

Waterloo police are notifying the public following a complaint this week of possible food tampering.

On Wednesday night, a local resident reported to police that a pill was found in their child’s baby food. The pill was said to have been found in a Gerber Oatmeal and Banana Cereal eight-ounce container and was reported to have been purchased recently at the Waterloo Walmart.

“Erring on the side of caution and safety, the Waterloo Police Department wants to make the consuming public aware of the situation,” a WPD press release issued Thursday states.

Waterloo police are currently working with the Food and Drug Administration as well as both Walmart and Gerber on this incident.

Anyone with questions or concerns regarding this incident may call Waterloo police at 939-3377 or your local law enforcement agency.

Pictured is the scene of Friday’s fire on Bluffside Road. (submitted photo)

The Columbia Fire Department received assistance from the Millstadt, Camp Jackson, Prairie du Pont and Waterloo firefighters in knocking down a fire in the area of 6725 Bluffside Drive near Metter Road about 10:30 a.m. Friday.

The owner of the former Columbia Quarry Co. property, Beelman Trucking, was burning an old house, barn and some sheds in an effort to clear land and a St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department deputy requested the fire department because the fire appeared to be getting out of control.

“Nobody was watching it,” Columbia Fire Chief Mike Roediger said.

Emergency responders checked on multiple firefighters at the scene as a precaution with midday temperatures in the 90-degree range.

Firemen worked at the scene approximately three hours, Roediger said.

Hibbett Sports in Waterloo.

The Waterloo Police Department is seeking information from the public as it investigates a “smash and grab” incident that occurred early Monday morning at Hibbett Sports, 915 N. Illinois Route 3.

Officer were dispatched to a burglar alarm sounding at that location at about 3:30 a.m. Upon arrival, police discovered the front glass door had been smashed out. The responding officer was able to see that clothing was strewn about on the floor inside the store and near the front door.

Police searched the business and secured the building before calling in the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit to process the scene.

“The Waterloo Police Department is currently working with Hibbett Sports Asset Protection and other police agencies having similar incidents involving Hibbett Sports in their jurisdictions,” a WPD news release states.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Waterloo police at 939-8651.

Hibbett Sports was open for business as usual as of Monday afternoon.

(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
June 2 – Columbia police are asking the public for information following a report of criminal damage to property at Roessler Ready Mix, 300 E. Locust Street. The business is located behind Metter Park. Police said that over the past three weeks, someone has broken glass windows on buildings and vehicles at the property and caused other damage. The number to reach Columbia police is 281-5151.
June 2 – Curt L. Poling, 44, of Canton, Ohio, was arrested on an in-state warrant and also for speeding and improper lane usage on Route 3 at the I-255 split.
June 2 – Tawanda L. Carter, 39, of East St. Louis, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.
June 5 – Edwin B. Estrada, 28, of St. Louis, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant and also for improper use of registration, expired registration sticker and no insurance on I-255.

Monroe County Sheriff
May 23 – Milliard Carpenter, 52, of St. Louis, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.
May 25 – John Kirkley, 29, of Baldwin, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.
May 26 – Bailey Langhorst, 23, of Fults, was arrested in Arkansas and transported to Monroe County on a failure to appear warrant in connection with charges of possessing methamphetamine and cannabis.
May 26 – Andrea Murphy, 21, of Granite City, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.
May 27 – Keith A. Radford, 20, of Waterloo, was arrested for felony driving while license revoked (third offense).
May 29 – Kimberly D. Gibson, 41, of Red Bud was arrested for battery at Moredock Lake in Valmeyer.
May 30 – William Rhodes, 55, of Red Bud, was cited for illegal transportation of alcohol on GG Road at Route 3.
May 31 – Amanda E. Goss, 32, of New Athens was charged with DUI following an April 3 crash on Route 156 just east of Trout Camp Road.
June 2 – James Gallamore, 68, of Columbia was airlifted by Arch Air Medical Services to a St. Louis hospital for injuries sustained in a single-motorcycle crash about 9 p.m. on Gilmore Lake Road, about a half-mile northwest of Wiltshire Drive near Columbia. Gallamore’s injuries did not appear life-threatening, according to police. St. Clair County emergency personnel assisted with the crash.
June 2 – Jordan Bunn, 26, of Smithton, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant.
June 3 – Christopher Roesch, 29, of St. Louis, was arrested for felony possession of a weapon by a felon and possession of ammunition by a felon at 1025 N. Main Street in Columbia.
June 3 – Zachary Shaw, 18, of Waterloo, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia on Maeystown Road.
June 4 – Select Fuel, 3822 State Route 3 in Red Bud, reported multiple teens attempting to purchase alcohol using fake IDs over recent days. The case is under investigation.

Valmeyer Police
May 31 – Joseph G. Gomric, 20, of Millstadt, was arrested for domestic battery at 105 E. Hunters Ridge.

Waterloo Police
June 2 – Debra Goldsmith, 58, of Waterloo, was arrested for theft of lost or mislaid property, that being a wallet at Waterloo Feed & Pet Supply, 401 W. Third Street.
June 3 – Britny Mynch, 26, of New Athens, was arrested at Walmart on a petition to revoke probation on the original charge of possession of a controlled substance.
June 5 – Carl Dehl, 32, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI and speeding on North Market Street at Talbott Street.

Abby Liefer and Hannah Porter

After unsuccessful last-minute legal wranglings by public defender Arlie Traughber, jury selection in Crystal Steinheimer’s aggravated DUI and reckless homicide trial is set to begin June 20 at the Monroe County Courthouse before Judge Dennis Doyle.

Steinheimer, 21, of Red Bud, faces charges resulting from a Jan. 10, 2015, crash on Route 159 south of Hecker that claimed the lives of two young Red Bud women.

According to an Illinois State Police report, Steinheimer’s Chevrolet Aveo crossed the center line and hit head-on a Chevy Cobalt driven by Abby Liefer. Liefer, 19, and her backseat passenger Hannah Porter, 20, were killed. Liefer’s front seat passenger, Grace Richards, sustained minor injuries.

Steinheimer, who was 20 at the time, had a blood alcohol content of .179 when she was airlifted to Saint Louis University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

Crystal Steinheimer (photo courtesy Monroe County Sheriff’s Department)

Traughber filed a motion for a change of venue June 2, claiming Steinheimer could not receive a fair trial in Monroe County due to coverage of the case in the Republic-Times and on the Facebook page “Our Angels: Abby & Hannah,” which is administered by Liefer’s family. Traughber specifically mentioned a Facebook post that detailed failed plea negotiations between prosecutors and Steinheimer’s defense, which was subsequently mentioned in a May 25 article in the R-T.

Doyle denied the motion.

Steinheimer has been on house arrest since November, when she was released from the Monroe County Jail after previously violating her recognizance bond by driving on a revoked license while awaiting trial…>>>

Read the rest of this story in the June 15 issue of the Republic-Times. If you don’t already receive the paper, you can subscribe by calling 939-3814 or clicking here, or pick up a copy at any of these locations.

Katherine Brinkley

Nikki Warnecke

The Waterloo woman convicted of aggravated DUI following a crash last July in Columbia that seriously injured a New Athens girl was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison.

Katherine A. Brinkley, 27, pleaded guilty to the felony charge in March and was already serving time at Logan Correctional Center as a result of incidents that occurred in St. Clair County earlier the same night as the crash.

In addition to her prison sentence, Brinkley was ordered to pay $545,437.85 in restitution to Nicole Warnecke and her family to cover medical expenses.

Warnecke, who recently graduated from New Athens High School with plans to attend SWIC this fall, was joined by family and friends in the courtroom Thursday during Brinkley’s sentencing and provided a victim impact statement for the court.

“The accident she induced ruined everything I’ve done in my entire life,” Warnecke said. “The discomfort Katherine caused never leaves me. I’ve been through hell and back because of what she did to me.”

Warnecke, 18, was a passenger in a Pontiac G6 driven by her boyfriend, Brett Luther of Columbia, that was crossing Route 3 eastbound from Veterans Parkway after leaving McDonald’s. Brinkley’s northbound Lexus SUV ran a red light at a high rate of speed and slammed into its passenger side about 9 p.m. on July 15.

Emergency personnel work at the scene of Wednesday’s crash near Columbia High School. (Corey Saathoff photo)

Luther was transported by Monroe County EMS to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County for treatment of a head injury.

Warnecke required extrication from the car by firefighters and was flown by an ARCH Air Medical Services helicopter to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital for treatment of serious injuries that included head trauma, broken bones including her hip, plus a lacerated spleen and liver.

Warnecke was in a coma for a month following the crash and suffered a traumatic brain injury that has resulted in both short-term and long-term memory loss.

Family members say it was a miracle Warnecke survived and although she has healed from many of her injuries, life will never be the same.

“Nikki was going to pursue a career in radiology and (was) sure to be successful,” wrote her mother, Diane Warnecke, in a victim impact statement submitted at sentencing. “Now she struggles to remember how to (follow) a two-step instruction.”

Brinkley was not injured in the crash. She was escorted from the scene to the Columbia police station for questioning and later charged with aggravated driving under the influence of drugs.

Brinkley was free on bond and wearing an electronic monitoring device at the time of the crash as the result of a May 2015 drug possession arrest. She was also charged in St. Clair County with aggravated battery involving an elderly victim plus charges of fleeing police, reckless driving, no drivers license and other traffic violations following an incident in Belleville earlier in the evening of July 15.

She was subsequently sentenced to three years for aggravated battery and another year on the drug charge and was serving time at Logan prior to the conclusion of the Monroe County case. Her new sentence will run concurrent with the remaining time she has to serve on the St. Clair County convictions.

Brinkley must serve 85 percent of the seven-year sentence imposed in Monroe County.

Brinkley has another previous conviction in St. Clair County for possession of a methamphetamine precursor stemming from a 2011 arrest.

Pictured are, from left, Abby Liefer, who would have celebrated her 21st birthday June 16, and her best friend Hannah Porter.

Crystal Steinheimer entered a guilty plea Friday afternoon in Monroe County Court to aggravated DUI, thus avoiding a jury trial set to begin Monday.

A charge of reckless homicide was dismissed. No other details of the plea agreement were released; she will be sentenced July 14, at 1 p.m., at the courthouse.

Steinheimer’s trial was set to begin next week, with jury selection slated for Monday in Monroe County Circuit Judge Dennis Doyle’s courtroom. Her charges of aggravated DUI and reckless homicide resulted from a Jan. 10, 2015, crash on Route 159 south of Hecker that claimed the lives of Red Bud women Abby Liefer, then 19, and her backseat passenger Hannah Porter, 20. Liefer’s front seat passenger, Grace Richards, sustained minor injuries. Liefer, Porter and Steinheimer were all airlifted from the crash scene.

Earlier this month, Steinheimer’s public defender, Arlie Traughber, filed a motion for a change of venue, claiming his client could not receive a fair trial in Monroe County due to coverage of the case in the Republic-Times and on the Facebook page “Our Angels: Abby & Hannah,” which is administered by Liefer’s family. Traughber specifically mentioned a Facebook post that detailed failed plea negotiations between prosecutors and Steinheimer’s defense, which was subsequently covered in the May 25 issue of the R-T.

Judge Doyle denied the change of venue motion.

Crystal Steinheimer (photo courtesy Monroe County Sheriff’s Department)

According to Illinois State Police’s official crash investigation report, Steinheimer’s Chevrolet Aveo crossed the center line and hit head-on a Chevy Cobalt driven by Liefer, who along with front seat passenger Richards were wearing their seatbelts.  Steinheimer, who was 20 at the time and not wearing a seatbelt, had a blood alcohol content of .179 when she was airlifted to Saint Louis University Hospital for treatment. Despite containers of alcohol being found strewn about the scene, tests revealed neither Leifer nor her passengers had any alcohol or drugs in their systems at the time of the crash

Steinheimer has been on house arrest since November, when she was released from the Monroe County Jail after spending four months there following revocation of her recognizance bond for being pulled over for driving erratically; her driver’s license had been revoked as a condition of her bond.

In a separate matter, auto insurer Affirmative Insurance Company filed paperwork last year seeking a declaratory judgment from the court in Monroe County that it “has no duty or obligation to defend or indemnify” Steinheimer for any damages claimed as a result of the crash.

The insurance company said Steinheimer had a policy issued through her family on a 1998 Chevrolet Blazer, but the 2008 Chevy Aveo she was driving the night of the crash had not been added to the policy within 30 days of Steinheimer’s acquisition of the new vehicle, as is required, the filing states.

The families of Liefer and Porter have also filed wrongful death lawsuits in St. Clair County against Steinheimer, as well as the Evansville establishments that served her alcohol the night of the crash: KBB Growth LLC, d/b/a Water Street Bar & Grill; Just Sue’s and owner Susan Levery; and Michael J’s Saloon and owner Michael J. Stefani.

All three taverns are alleged to have “sold, served or gave alcoholic liquors to Crystal Steinheimer, who then drank the alcoholic liquor on the premises and became intoxicated.”

The Liefer family is seeking “a reasonable sum in excess of $50,000, and costs of suit.” Porter’s family seeks more than $75,000 for each of the suit’s 12 counts.