Police News 05-15-14

Peorian Sentenced In Connection With Fatal Accident Near Banner Marsh in 2012 (Peoria, IL) -- A Peorian was in court on Wednesday to be sentenced in connection with a fatal accident that took place in 2012 that took the lives of two people. Brandon Mack was sentenced to 9 years of prison time in Peoria County Circuit Court. Mack pleaded guilty in March to a charge of aggravated driving under the influence of marijuana charges for the incident that happened in 2012. A separate 2013 DUI was dropped. The charge stems from a fatal accident that happened in May of 2012 on U.S. Route 24/Illinois Route 9 at Banner Marsh Road. Michael Purifoy, Jr., and Francis Howard, both of Peoria were killed while they were passengers in a vehicle that Mack was driving. Canton Teen Charged With Possession Of Alcohol (Canton, IL) -- A Canton juvenile is facing charges after being found in possession of alcohol. An officer on patrol spotted the teen that was walking and was carrying a bag. The officer then asked the juvenile what was in the bag and the 15-year old Canton male apparently responded that it was alcohol. The juvenile was carrying two bottles of vodka. The teen was arrested and taken to the Canton Police Department where he was processed and then released to the custody of his mother. The teen was cited with a city ordinance citation of possession of alcohol by a minor. The teen will have fourteen days to pay a fine, and if the fine is not paid he will have a June Fulton County Court date in Lewistown. Canton Man Charged With Retail Theft (Canton, IL) -- A Canton man accused of taking an item from a gas station in Canton is facing retail theft charges. Canton police say they were dispatched to the Circle K BP Gas station located at 405 South Main Street Tuesday night at just after 8:15. Police say they met with a customer who witnessed another customer take sunglasses from the shelf and slide them up a sleeve and then leave the store without paying for the item. Employees at the store confirmed they were missing the sunglasses from the shelf to authorities. After reviewing video surveillance tape with employees, police were able to locate the vehicle the man left in. They found the vehicle and the man, identified as 30-year old Brian E. Thurman, at a residence on West Locust Street. The man apparently told police that he had discarded the sunglasses from the vehicle. Thurman was arrested and taken to the Canton Police Department where he was processed on a retail theft charge. He was given a notice to appear and released. Thurman has a July Fulton County Court date in Lewistown. Peoria Man Charged In Connection With Roanoke Incident (Roanoke, IL) -- A Peoria man has been charged in Woodford County for allegedly scaring some residents of Roanoke on Tuesday. 32-year old Mitchell Simmons is facing two charges. One for home invasion, the second for aggravated discharge of a firearm. Police say the incident happened early Tuesday morning in the 800 block of Front Street in Roanoke. A second incident was reported by someone whose home was broke into with a young man standing in the kitchen of the residence with a shotgun. Authorities claim that Simmons had a shotgun, a nine millimeter handgun as well as a machete at the time he was arrested. No injuries were reported at the time of the incident. Simmons is due back in Woodford County Court next month and is being held on a $250,000 bond in the Woodford County Jail. Man Arrested For Robbing Same Gas Station Several Times (Peoria, IL) -- Authorities in Peoria say they have made an arrest in connection with a string of armed robberies. 38-year old Jerry Johnson was arrested Wednesday night and charged with armed robbery with a knife. Police say that Johnson held up the Marathon Gas Station located on Knoxville Avenue on four different dates, May 9th, 11th, 12th and 13th. Johnson was arrested last night after the Criminal Investigations Unit staked out the business for several hours and he allegedly attempted to rob the business for a fourth time on Tuesday night. Johnson was arrested after he fled the scene. Peoria police say that victims in all of the cases identified Johnson as the suspect. Alleged stolen money from the business will be returned.