Mt. Vernon Police Arrest Record - Sep. 30th 2011

Mt. Vernon Police Department Arrests

    Anthony S. Elgin, 23, of the 13200 block of East Smith Road, was arrested at 4:45 a.m. Friday on a charge of driving under the influence. Bond was set at $1,100. Elgin was released.
    Desiree R. Huston, 24, of the 16400 block of Millikin Lane, was arrested at 3:41 a.m. Friday on a charge of driving on a suspended or revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500.
    Luke Adam-Wayne Bratcher, 21, of the 1400 block of White Street, was arrested at 2:23 a.m. Friday on charges of domestic battery and interference with a report of domestic violence.
    John D. Lemke, 21, of the 13200 block of North Bluford Lane in Bluford, was arrested at 5:19 a.m. Thursday on a charge of driving under the influence. Bond was set at $3,000. Lemke was released.
    Tabitha M. Phillips, 24, of the 400 block of North Sixth Street, was arrested at 4:16 a.m. Thursday on a charge of domestic battery.
    Dominick Johnson, 25, of Dahlgren, was arrested at 2:48 a.m. Thursday on a charge of driving on a suspended or revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500. Johnson was released.
    Khalid R. Yohannes, 19, of the 2000 block of Richview Road, was arrested at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of disorderly conduct. Bond was set at $1,000.
    John E. Cole, 29, of the 800 block of North Fourth Street, was arrested at 12:32 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of contempt of court and an in-state warrant. Bond was set at $7,500.  K0AxR

Teen Sentenced to Life In Prison in Fayette County Double Killing

A 16-year-old Fayette County youth has been sentenced to natural life in prison for gunning down two of his neighbors as they slept in their home in Loogootee. Judge Michael McHaney handed down the sentence to Clifford Baker for the August 2010 murders of John Mahon and Debra Tish. Baker received an additional 30 year sentence to run on top of the natural life in prison for the home invasion of the Randy Krajefska home next door. Baker had been found guilty of those charges by a Fayette County Jury in August. Before the sentence was handed down, Baker told the judge he was sorry for everything that happened and to everyone who was hurt. The defense asked for the judge to keep the sentence in the 50 year range. They called eight character witnesses to the stand, including Baker's father and her girlfriend. Both said they did not want to see Baker spend his life in prison. Justina Jones, who had administered Cymbalta to Baker, said she wished she could go back in time. She noted not only were two lives gone, but a third would be lost if Baker spent his life in prison. Defense attorney Monroe McWard argued during the trial the prescription of Cymbalta resulted in Baker's 'insanity by involuntary toxication". South Central teachers Laura Taylor and Cindy Garrett both said Baker caused them no problems in class. Middle School Principal Greg Grinestaff testified Baker had only been to the office a couple of time for minor squabbles with other students. State's Attorney Stephen Friedel had two victim impact statements read into the record. Tish's niece Latish Pasley and sister Patty Martin both noted they continued to be effected by Tish's death, noting she would not be around to celebrate birthdays and holidays. Written statements were presented by Krajefska and three of Mahon's relatives. McHaney denied all post trial motions in the case before proceeding to sentencing. They included motions for a new trial, objecting to the case not being tried in juvenile court, the trial not being moved out of Fayette County, as well as the court failing to suppress evidence and not trying Baker separately on the murder charges.  amn6g

Major Case Squad called for 'whodunnit' slaying in East St. Louis

EAST ST. LOUIS • Police Chief Ranodore Foggs says the slaying of a man on an East St. Louis street is a real whodunnit that requires more detectives to solve than his department has.

That's why Foggs says he asked for help from the St. Louis area Major Case Squad at about 3 a.m. Friday, shortly after a man in his 30s was found gunned down in the 700 block of Veronica Street.

"We're unable to ID him. It was one of those whodunnits where we couldn't really tell if it was a robbery, an ambush," Foggs said. "I thought it was more appropriate for the case squad."

The dead man was in his 30s but police don't know much more.

"Something like this, where you have no witnesses, you need as many personnel as you can get to run it down. You need more legs and minds to follow up on who is this guy and where did he come from," Foggs said.

The commander of this investigation will be Capt. Ken Rozell of the Granite City Police Department. Ladue Police Lt. Bill Baker, who got the call early Friday to activate the squad, said 15 investigators from various departments are on the case. - http://goo.gl/vpK54

New industrial park planned in Mt. Vernon

Plans are underway to determine where another industrial park should be located to serve the city.

"We're about filled up in the Rolland Lewis Industrial Park," Mayor Mary Jane Chesley said. "A city that does not have economic development space available, I feel, loses the competition to gain business and industry."

Peckham, Guyton, Alberts & Viets, Inc., will be asked to create an industrial park master plan, with a proposal before the City Council on Monday. The proposal will include PGAV completing conceptual design services of an industrial park and evaluate the pros and cons of three locations for a proposed park.

Two of the locations to be evaluated are the tax increment finance district west of Interstate 57 and 640 acres that was considered for an industrial TIF on the southeast side of the city near Continental Tire the Americas. The third site to be considered will be left up to PGAV to determine in consultation with the city, City Manager Ron Neibert said.

"We wanted to give them the freedom to look at the whole city boundary," Chesley said.

PGAV has worked with the city in the past, acting as consultants for the TIF areas to the east and west sides of Interstate 57.

"Due to their past work, they are very familiar with Mt. Vernon and our economic development and growth," Chesley added.

Chesley said having an evaluation completed before moving forward with designating an industrial park goes along with what the city council has done in the past.

"We want to get the background, evaluate our options, before doing the activity," Chesley explained. "We're not going to rush into it without that background information."

Chesley added she would like to see a plan presented to the council within 60 to 90 days of council approval.

"The sooner the better," Chesley said. "Having another industrial park allows us to maintain a competitive edge in bringing industry to Mt. Vernon." - http://goo.gl/MptXH