CHATHAM, Ill. — Newly obtained police reports detail the arrest of a Springfield Police sergeant for driving under the influence after officers say she displayed slurred speech, had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, and drove away from an active DUI investigation before she was ultimately arrested during a July 4 traffic stop. (Video footage of the arrest is at the end of this article)

According to Officer Holm’s report, the incident began at approximately 1:57 a.m. on July 4 while he was conducting stationary patrol near 9507 State Route 4.

Officer Holm reported observing a blue Hyundai Sonata make what appeared to be an abnormally wide right turn from County Road onto State Route 4.

After pulling behind the Hyundai, Officer Holm reported that it drifted toward the center dotted lane markings before returning to the middle of its lane. According to his report, the vehicle then crossed the solid white shoulder line, prompting him to initiate a traffic stop for improper lane usage.

The driver was identified as Lindzee N. Carpenter, 38, a Springfield Police sergeant.

According to Officer Holm, he immediately detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle and observed Carpenter speaking with slow, slurred speech.

When asked for her driver’s license and proof of insurance, Carpenter provided her driver’s license but repeatedly failed to produce proof of insurance. Instead, Officer Holm reported that she handed him what appeared to be a Springfield Police detective identification card before later handing him what appeared to be two different credit cards.

A second officer, Officer McManus, arrived to assist with the traffic stop. When Officer McManus separately requested Carpenter’s insurance and vehicle registration, Carpenter again handed him the same Springfield Police identification card she had already given Officer Holm. According to the report, the identification card had expired in 2024.

The officers also observed an unopened package of SuperLyte alcoholic beverages on the rear driver’s-side floorboard.

Officer Holm then asked Carpenter to step out of the vehicle. According to his report, she stumbled into the rear passenger-side portion of the Hyundai before walking to the back of the vehicle and leaning against it.

When asked whether she had consumed alcohol, Carpenter denied drinking.

Officer Holm also questioned Carpenter about the unopened alcoholic beverages inside the vehicle. According to the report, Carpenter repeatedly denied knowing what he was referring to, even after he pointed out the SuperLyte beverages were inside her vehicle.

Based on Carpenter’s driving, her slurred speech and repeatedly handing officers her Springfield Police identification card instead of the requested insurance information, Officer Holm advised Carpenter that he believed she was under the influence of alcohol and asked her to perform field sobriety tests.

According to the report, Carpenter refused.

Carpenter also repeatedly questioned whether she was free to leave and whether she was under arrest. According to the report, the officers advised her that she was not under arrest but was not free to leave because they were conducting a roadside DUI investigation.

Officer Holm then allowed Carpenter to return to her vehicle to contact two people—one to drive her home and another to drive her vehicle.

While Carpenter was making the calls, Officer Holm conducted an online search after noticing the Springfield Police identification card she had provided was expired. According to the report, the search confirmed Carpenter remained employed by the Springfield Police Department and held the rank of sergeant.

Officer Holm later returned to Carpenter’s vehicle, where she told him two people were on their way and would arrive in approximately 25 minutes. After instructing Carpenter to remain at the scene, Officers Holm and McManus returned to their squad car.

According to Officer Holm’s report, approximately 15 seconds after being instructed to remain at the scene, Carpenter drove away from the active DUI investigation by pulling back onto State Route 4.

Officer Holm immediately pulled out behind the Hyundai, activated his siren, and notified Chatham dispatch that the vehicle was leaving the traffic stop.

Officer Holm reported that Carpenter continued driving with the vehicle’s right-side tires on the solid shoulder line for approximately 200 feet before returning to the center of her lane and beginning to swerve again.

Officer Holm wrote, “At this point, we were up to the 50MPH speed limit.”

Approximately 25 seconds later, Officer Holm realized his front emergency lights had not been reactivated after being turned off during the roadside DUI investigation. According to the report, Carpenter pulled over as soon as the emergency lights were activated.

Officers Holm and McManus approached the vehicle and instructed Carpenter to step out.

According to Officer Holm’s report, approximately 15 seconds after being instructed to remain at the scene, Carpenter drove away from the active DUI investigation by pulling back onto State Route 4.

Officer Holm immediately pulled out behind the Hyundai, activated his siren, and notified Chatham dispatch that the vehicle was leaving the traffic stop.

Officer Holm reported that Carpenter continued driving with the vehicle’s right-side tires on the solid shoulder line for approximately 200 feet before returning to the center of her lane and beginning to swerve again.

Officer Holm wrote, “At this point, we were up to the 50MPH speed limit.”

Approximately 25 seconds later, Officer Holm realized his front emergency lights had not been reactivated after being turned off during the roadside DUI investigation. According to the report, Carpenter pulled over as soon as the emergency lights were activated.

Officers Holm and McManus approached the vehicle and instructed Carpenter to step out.

After exiting the vehicle, Carpenter was placed under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.

When Officer Holm asked why she drove away from the traffic stop, he reported that Carpenter replied, “You told me that I could.”

Officer Holm transported Carpenter to the Chatham Police Department for DUI processing while Officer McManus arranged for the vehicle to be towed.

During an inventory of the vehicle, Officer McManus reported observing what appeared to be vomit on the exterior of the driver’s-side door.

Once at the police department, Carpenter refused to provide a breath test, according to Officer Holm’s report.

Carpenter later requested to use the women’s restroom. While waiting outside, Officer Holm reported hearing retching from inside. After Carpenter exited the restroom, a Chatham dispatch employee observed what appeared to be red vomit residue in the sink.

According to the report, Carpenter was later picked up from the Chatham Police Department by a coworker from the Springfield Police Department.

Carpenter is expected to appear in court on July 17, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.

The videos are listed below in the following order: Video 1 is the body camera footage, Video 2 is the dash camera footage, and Video 3 is additional footage from inside the Chatham Police Department.

Springfield, Illinois – On September 6, 2025, at approximately 6:45 p.m., Springfield Police officers were dispatched to the 2200 block of Yale Blvd following reports of a disturbance involving an individual and a dog. During the officers’ response, bystanders recorded the incident, which showed a Springfield Police Sergeant punching a man several times, and later shared it on Facebook. As a result, the Springfield Police Department released a statement and body-worn camera footage. Below is the statement, along with four body-worn camera videos.

In its statement, the Springfield Police Department said: On September 6, 2025, at approximately 6:45 p.m., Springfield Police officers were dispatched to the 2200 block of Yale Blvd. following reports of a disturbance involving an individual and a dog. According to statements from witnesses, the individual, later identified as K’Shawn Rush, currently on pre-trial release for multiple cases of aggravated battery and aggravated assault, was observed striking and choking a dog in the presence of bystanders. Witnesses further reported that the animal was believed to be stolen and that Rush had attempted to use the dog to threaten or intimidate others.

Upon arrival, the responding officer observed Mr. Rush lying in a yard with the dog. The officer gave clear verbal commands in an effort to safely resolve the situation and protect the animal. Rush initially attempted to leave with the dog, disregarding the officer’s instructions. When Rush was directed to leave the animal, he turned aggressively toward the officer and made threats to him. The situation escalated when Rush physically attacked his girlfriend, who attempted to remove the dog from his possession. At that point, the officer advised Rush that he was under arrest and attempted to take him into custody.

A second officer arrived on scene and despite repeated commands, Rush refused to comply and escalated his resistance by physically struggling with officers, striking them, and removing equipment from their duty vests. In response to this continued active resistance, officers employed OC (pepper) spray and empty-hand techniques, using only the force necessary to safely effectuate the arrest and prevent further harm to others, including the dog. After several minutes of sustained resistance, officers were able to secure Rush in handcuffs and take him into custody. Out of an abundance of caution, and consistent with department protocol after the use of OC spray, medical assistance was immediately requested. Rush was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment. As a result of this incident, K’Shawn Rush was arrested on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer, Domestic Battery, Resisting Arrest, and Cruelty to Animals.

The Department has briefed city officials, community leaders, and stakeholders and, to ensure full transparency regarding the incident, the city is releasing the officer’s body worn camera footage. The Springfield Police Department remains committed to serving the community with professionalism, accountability, and transparency.

Body worn Camera 1 – If you are not able to see this video click this link – https://youtu.be/VSP–KQ0nzw?si=1277GUElxd-qLHvc

Springfield, Illinois – Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, was transferred today from the Macon County Jail to the Sangamon County Jail.

According to a statement from Sheriff Paula Crouch, the transfer was made to accommodate ongoing medical procedures and follow-up appointments that require Grayson to be housed in Springfield. The decision was reached after consultation between correctional and medical staff to ensure Grayson could access necessary services while remaining in secure custody.

Grayson will be held in a secure unit at the Sangamon County Jail, with appropriate safety precautions in place. He is expected to remain there until his trial takes place in Peoria County.

Springfield, Illinois — Defense attorneys for Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County deputy sheriff charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Sonya Massey, have filed a series of motions this week seeking to restrict external influences on the upcoming trial and to introduce new evidence they argue is essential to a fair defense.

Grayson’s legal team, led by attorneys Daniel L. Fultz of Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP, and Mark Kevin Wykoff, Sr. of Wykoff Law Office, filed a Motion for an Order to Cease and Desist, targeting the taxpayer-funded Massey Commission, which they say has begun outreach in Peoria County. The court previously granted a change of venue from Sangamon to Peoria in April 2025 due to concerns that pretrial publicity—particularly that surrounding the Massey Commission—could taint the jury pool.

The defense now claims the same Commission is undermining the new venue by “educating” Peoria residents about the incident and its broader implications. “Whether intended or not, the effect… is the potential tainting of the Peoria County jury pool, which was the very basis for moving the trial to begin with,” the motion states. The defense is asking the court to order the Commission to halt its activities in Peoria County. If the outreach continues, they warn they may seek another change of venue.

In two additional motions, Grayson’s attorneys are also asking the court to allow them to introduce evidence related to Massey’s mental state and prior violent behavior, which they say is relevant to their argument that Grayson acted in self-defense.

One motion seeks permission to present evidence that Massey had a history of violent behavior, including an incident just hours before the shooting where she allegedly attacked a neighbor with a brick. According to reports included in the filing, Massey was the aggressor in that altercation, which stemmed from a dispute over a broken car window.

The defense argues that if prosecutors challenge the findings of a use-of-force expert—who concluded Massey was throwing boiling water at deputies when Grayson opened fire—then Massey’s history of violence must be admissible to establish who was the initial aggressor. The motion references an Illinois State Police memorandum stating that Massey “threw the steaming hot water from the pot” at Grayson before he fired his weapon.

Another motion asks the court to admit statements and documented behavior to establish Massey’s mental state in the hours leading up to the fatal encounter. According to the motion, text messages Massey sent to a car salesman in the days before the shooting included alarming statements like “they will kill me” and “I’m about to die at St. John’s.” The same day before the shooting, Massey’s mother allegedly called 9-1-1 to report that her daughter was “having a mental breakdown and was paranoid.” Springfield police body camera footage reportedly shows Massey interacting with mental health clinicians, and she later visited a hospital where she told staff she had been recently diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic, though she left without being seen.

Grayson has remained in custody since his July 2024 arrest. His trial is scheduled to begin October 20, 2025, in Peoria County.

Springfield, IL – A Springfield man is facing charges after police say he made several threatening and alarming phone calls to three local Jewish organizations on July 8 and 9, targeting members of the Jewish faith and prompting the cancellation of worship activities at one synagogue.

Jermiah D. Collins, age 24, who is currently on pretrial release for an aggravated battery charge in Sangamon County, allegedly called Temple B’rith Sholom, Temple Israel, and the Chabad Jewish Center of Springfield using a cell phone registered in his name. In the voicemails and conversations, Collins made anti-Semitic remarks and used language that staff interpreted as violent threats, including references to bombs and arson.

At Temple B’rith Sholom, staff received a voicemail from Collins in which he stated he did not support Jews and warned that “time is ticking for everyone in Springfield and Illinois.” He also said, “the time is coming for the way the Jews and Israel do everybody else,” before repeating “tick, tick, tick, tick.” Staff interpreted the message as a bomb threat and reported it to the Springfield Police Department. The caller ID displayed the name “Jeremiah Collins,” and Collins later admitted to receiving a call from police but declined to speak with the officer.

Shortly after, Temple Israel received a similar call from Collins, in which he questioned why police had been contacted. Staff later discovered another threatening voicemail left on July 8. In that message, Collins referred to Temple Israel as a “terrorist organization,” threatened to “burn that place down,” and said people would love him for doing it. The message also ended with the repeated phrase “tick, tick, tick, tick.” Alarmed and fearful for their safety, Temple Israel staff canceled worship activities.

The Chabad Jewish Center of Springfield also reported receiving an aggressive voicemail and phone call from Collins. In the messages, Collins expressed anger over how a Jewish individual allegedly treated an African American and questioned the Jewish faith with an intimidating tone. Staff at the center said they feared potential violence from Collins based on the nature of the calls.

Following multiple reports, Springfield Police requested urgent phone records and location data for the number used. T-Mobile confirmed the number was registered to Jermiah Collins and traced to the Helping Hands homeless shelter in Springfield. Phone records showed calls placed to all three Jewish institutions consistent with the voicemail messages.

Detectives located Collins and took him into custody. He was found in possession of the phone used to make the calls. During a recorded interview, Collins confirmed the phone was his and admitted to placing the calls. He said he was upset after viewing a video in which a Jewish person allegedly assaulted an African American. Although he admitted to making the calls, Collins denied intending to threaten anyone and apologized for upsetting the organizations.

Collins has been charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office with Hate Crime, a Class 4 felony, and Harassment by Telephone, a Class B misdemeanor.

Springfield, IL – A Springfield man is facing charges after a wild and dangerous outburst Sunday evening that involved gunfire at his home and a chaotic scene at a local Dairy Queen.

Around 6:15 p.m. on June 2, 2025, 37-year-old Matthew S. Leach was caught on home surveillance cameras hallucinating and running through his house with a black semi-automatic pistol. Police say he was highly intoxicated on alcohol and what appeared to be a stimulant, and believed people were chasing him—people who weren’t there.

Footage showed Leach entering a bathroom with the gun at approximately 6:14 p.m. One minute later, he opened the door and fired a single shot into an adjacent bedroom where the camera was located. He then went into his detached garage and fired five rounds from inside, shooting through the south garage door. One of those bullets struck the north side of the house and entered the interior.

Next to where Leach had been shooting inside the garage, officers found three small white rocks that resembled crack cocaine. The substance tested positive for cocaine and weighed 0.2 grams.

Leach then got into his black Dodge Durango and drove it through the garage door, heading east through the alley. He later pulled into the Dairy Queen on East North Grand Avenue and ran inside the store, where he jumped behind the counter and shoved an employee. He then pushed over the large Pepsi fountain drink machine, damaging it. The damage was estimated at $5,000.

Leach was later taken into custody and read his Miranda rights, which he said he understood. He admitted to driving the vehicle. Officers noted his glassy, bloodshot eyes, heavy eyelids, and the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. He admitted to drinking earlier but refused to say how much, stating at one point, “I’m fucked up.”

Leach refused field sobriety tests, a breath test, and all other chemical tests. However, during routine treatment at St. John’s Hospital, his blood alcohol level—measured through hospital testing—came back as 0.130, well over the legal limit.

A records check revealed Leach’s driver’s license is revoked, and this is his second DUI arrest. He does not have a FOID card and has prior convictions for burglary and three separate cases of possessing a stolen vehicle.

Leach is currently being held in the Sangamon County Jail after being denied pre-trial release. He has been charged with possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 2 felony; reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony; and criminal damage to property, also a Class 4 felony.

Springfield, IL — A Springfield man is facing new charges after a Facebook video posted on June 3 showed him holding a gun and mocking a deceased individual using a stolen headstone.

The video, posted by a Facebook user under the name “Duckleworld JP,” shows a man identified by police as Jaiylen J. Plato, age 21, holding a handgun inside a home. The video’s caption read, “Fuck dude dead ass I dug his ass up.” Plato, who has a face tattoo that says “Duckleworld,” is seen tapping the gun against a headstone with the name Shawntel Howze Jr.

Police matched the inside of the home shown in the video to a previous police call at 1223 Poole Street the day before. Both the body camera video and the Facebook clip showed the same drop ceiling with mismatched tiles and the same fake wood flooring.

The handgun in the video had clear front and rear sights, a silver ejection chamber, and other features police say are consistent with a real firearm.

The headstone shown in the video belonged to Shawntel Howze Jr. It included a football, basketball hoop, the nickname “Man Man,” and his birth and death dates. Police say Plato was trying to disrespect Shawntel, who was reportedly part of the SQUAD street gang.

After seeing the video, police watched the home at 1223 Poole. Less than an hour later, Plato was seen leaving the house and walking down the street. Officers arrested him and found a loaded 9mm Ruger SR9 handgun in his pants. The gun had a silver slide, black frame, a round in the chamber, and a loaded magazine. Police say Plato tried to run but was held down and taken into custody.

Police then got a search warrant for the home. Inside, they found the stolen headstone in the living room — the same place it appeared in the video. The headstone was described as very heavy and took two detectives to lift. Plato also had fresh scratches on his knuckles, which police say are consistent with someone digging up and carrying a heavy object. Detectives noted that the house is located near Oak Ridge Cemetery.

At the Springfield Police Department, Plato told detectives he was carrying the gun for protection because the house had recently been shot at.

Plato is a convicted felon with a past conviction for Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon and not having a FOID card. He is also currently on parole.

Plato was just released from the Illinois Department of Corrections on March 7, 2025, and is currently on Mandatory Supervised Release. In that case, he was convicted of possessing two different firearms, and video footage from the incident showed him holding both weapons.

Plato has been charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office with the following offenses: two counts of possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 2 felony, and one count of defacing or removing a gravestone, a Class 4 felony.

Springfield, Illinois – A Springfield man whose father is a well-known criminal defense attorney will remain in jail after violating the terms of his bond and pre-trial release conditions in a criminal sexual assault case.

On January 26, 2022, Walter W. Hanken, 24, the son of Springfield attorney Scott Hanken, was indicted on two counts of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony. According to court documents, in July 2021, Walter was accused of committing an act of sexual penetration “by the use of force or threat of force,” and that the victim was unable to give knowing consent. He was arrested and booked into the Sangamon County Jail but was released the same day after posting $20,000 bond.

Walter is currently represented by a legal team that includes Chicago attorney Donna Rotunno and Springfield attorneys Daniel Fultz and Mark Wykoff.

According to Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser, the case was assigned to Special Prosecutor Kate Kurtz from the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office to avoid any conflicts of interest, given Hanken’s ties to the local legal community.

On January 29, 2025, while still awaiting trial and out on pre-trial release, Walter was arrested for driving under the influence after a crash near Iles and Archer Elevator in Springfield. According to Kurtz, he was driving a Bronco when he hit a cement roundabout and curb, causing the vehicle to flip. Kurtz stated that Walter admitted to “flying” down Archer Elevator and another street. Police noted he had the odor of alcohol on his breath, slurred speech, and admitted to having two shots at a bar earlier that night. He performed a field sobriety test, which showed signs of impairment, but refused to take a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT), a roadside tool used to estimate blood alcohol concentration.

That crash ultimately led to DUI charges, but by March 5, the case was resolved through a plea deal handled by attorney Frederick Schlosser. Walter received 12 months of court supervision, his DUI charge was reduced to reckless driving, and he was fined $2,325. His driving privileges were also reinstated.

Then, on May 4, at approximately 10:51 p.m., Springfield Police responded to a crash in the 4300 block of Fielding Drive. According to police, Walter was driving a black Ford F-150 westbound when he struck a legally parked car on the opposite side of the street. He then veered off the roadway and crashed into a green electrical utility box, knocking it off its concrete foundation and exposing live electrical wires.

Officers reported that he smelled of alcohol, was unsteady on his feet, swaying as he walked, and showed visible signs of impairment, including slurred speech, glassy eyes, and heavy eyelids. He admitted to driving the Ford F-150 and told police he had been looking at his phone due to an ESPN alert at the time of the crash. He also admitted to drinking two beers earlier while at work.

A nearby homeowner told officers they witnessed Walter disposing of items between homes following the crash. Officers later recovered two open, uncapped bottles of beer and a can of Twisted Tea leaking from a small hole. Police administered a field sobriety test, which indicated that he was impaired. However, he refused to submit a breath sample for a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT).

As a result, Walter was arrested for DUI and issued citations for illegal transportation of alcohol, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed, and using a cell phone while driving.

Following his second DUI arrest, Walter appeared in court on May 6, 2025, after Kurtz sought to have his pre-trial release revoked. The hearing, held before Judge Zachary Schmidt, a visiting judge from Greene County, was scheduled to determine whether the judge would revoke Walter’s bond and order him back into custody. Instead of contesting the request, Walter, through his attorney Fultz, agreed to remain in jail. He will remain at the Sangamon County Jail until his next court date on May 28.

Fultz told the court a plea deal may be discussed at that time; otherwise, the case will proceed to trial.

Springfield, IL – On April 1, 2025 at 8:44 p.m., Springfield Police were dispatched to the area of 2000 N. Dirksen for a traffic crash involving a gold Chevrolet being driven by Maura A. Sullivan, age 53, and a white Ford being driven by Nicholas J. Kammueller, age 46, As officers were arriving on scene, they heard several rounds of gunfire coming from the area of McDonald’s (2100 N. Dirksen).

Officers ran to the area of the shooting and located Kammueller outside of his vehicle with his hands up, advising that he had shot the male who was laying on the ground and later identified as Jerald P. Fahey, age 51. According to police, Kammueller made an excited utterance, stating that Fahey had attacked him and he “had to return fire.” He further stated the firearm was still inside the vehicle, and officers were able to see it in plain view.

Kammueller was then taken into custody by officers on scene and transported to the Springfield Police Department for an interview. Officers and Springfield Fire Department personnel began treating Fahey, who had multiple injuries consistent with gunshot wounds. According to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon, Fahey was transported by EMS to the emergency room at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, where hospital staff pronounced him deceased at 9:40 p.m.

Another male who witnessed the shooting drove himself to the SPD to provide a statement. Detectives interviewed the witness, who stated that he did not know Fahey, but he was his neighbor. The witness said he was at home when Fahey came to his door, stating that his girlfriend had been in a car crash and requesting a ride to the scene. The witness agreed, and they went to the Sonic area. Upon arrival, the witness learned that Sullivan’s vehicle was totaled and that she had a leg injury.

As the witness spoke with people at the scene, he saw Fahey walking toward McDonald’s, where Kammueller was parked in a white Ford. The witness said he yelled for Fahey not to engage Kammueller, but Fahey ignored him. He then saw Fahey enter the vehicle and appear to batter Kammueller. The witness believed Fahey briefly disengaged before re-entering the vehicle. At that moment, he heard several gunshots and saw Fahey fall to the ground. Fearing for his own safety and knowing police were already present, he did not approach the truck.

The witness was asked about Fahey’s demeanor and stated that Fahey appeared to be high on methamphetamine and angry about what had happened.

Detectives reviewed the video surveillance footage from McDonald’s, which captured the entirety of the shooting. The following is a brief summary of the video:

• The video shows Kammueller parked in the lot with the doors closed.
• Fahey comes into view, wearing a yellow hoodie and black pants.
• As Fahey approaches the vehicle, he pulls up his pants, a common gesture among individuals preparing to fight.
• Kammueller opens the driver’s door but stays inside the vehicle. He appears to look back at Fahey, who pulls his pants up again as he closes the distance.
• Fahey makes entry into the vehicle and appears to grab/strike Kammueller. The scuffle lasts for approximately 4 seconds with Fahey standing and Kammueller seated in the vehicle.
• Fahey drops his hands and takes two steps back from the vehicle. A muzzle flash is clearly visible, and Fahey’s body begins to turn away as if struck by gunfire. As he falls to the ground, at least 3 more muzzle flashes are seen. Fahey is on the ground and not moving.
• Approximately 3 seconds pass, and another muzzle flash is seen while Fahey is on the ground, face down.
• Officers and SFD personnel arrive on scene and begin treating Fahey. Kammueller is taken into custody.

Detectives interviewed Kammueller, who provided the following information under Miranda. He stated that he and some friends had gone to Celtic Mist Pub for about an hour, where he had approximately two mixed drinks and two shots (Jagerbombs). He stated that they went to Northern Lights/Dillon’s Pizza, where they ate and he had about two more mixed drinks and two more Jagerbombs in the span of an hour. Afterward, they went to Tipsy Toad, where he had the same amount of drinks in about 30 minutes.

Kammueller went on to say he was leaving Tipsy Toad and driving northbound on Dirksen when the gold Ford turned in front of him, and he struck the vehicle. He stated he pulled into McDonald’s to wait for police. While waiting, he observed a tow truck arrive and believed the police had been called. A group of people approached his vehicle and said something to the effect of “hey!” and then walked away. This caused him to become fearful for his safety. He pulled his Glock 17 pistol out of the holster and placed it on the passenger seat. A short time later, he received a phone call from his friend, stating he believed the tow truck driver was walking over to speak with him.

Kammueller then saw a male walking toward his car, whom he believed was the tow driver, and opened the driver’s door to speak with him. At that point, Fahey was aggressively approaching his vehicle and said, “I’m going to kill you.” Fahey grabbed Kammueller’s left arm and struck him twice in the head with a closed fist and several times in the arm, while Kammueller was telling him to stop. Kammueller then grabbed the pistol from the passenger seat and fired what he believed were 4-5 rounds at Fahey while still in the vehicle. He saw Fahey fall to the ground and stayed in place until the police arrived.

I asked Kammueller to describe his level of intoxication on a scale of 0-10, and he stated he was approximately a 2-3. He did not believe he was impaired. Officer’s later completed Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) on Kammueller, and he showed several signs of impairment. He provided a breath sample and it showed his Breath Alcohol Concentration, which is a measure of alcohol in a person’s breath, at .057. He has since been charged with driving under the influence.

When asked on a scale of 0-10 how hard he believed he was struck, Kammueller stated it was about a 6-7. He further stated that the strikes to his head were “glancing blows” and not direct hits. He denied any injuries and refused medical attention. He did not mention any head injuries or signs of head trauma, such as seeing stars, dizziness, or loss of vision. Kammueller denied shooting at Fahey while he was on the ground and maintained that the entire shooting occurred while Fahey was in close contact with him.

According to records, Kammueller has a valid concealed carry license and FOID card. Detectives report that he violated the Concealed Carry Act by possessing a loaded pistol while intoxicated. According to records, Kammueller has not yet been officially charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s office with homicide.

Springfield, Illinois – An Arrest warrant and charges has been issued for a Springfield man accused of fatally shooting Kilanna Gladney, age 31.

Today, Sangamon County Prosecutors filed charges against Dion Griffin, age 17, for fatally shooting Gladney in the chest and for shooting another individual in the knee using a Glock 10mm.

Gladney was shot on January 1, 2025, in the 1600 block of South 17th Street in Springfield. She was transported by EMS to HSHS St. John’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:11 p.m. Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon confirmed that an autopsy determined she died from a single gunshot wound.

Griffin has been charged with:

• Three counts of first-degree murder

• Aggravated battery with a firearm (Class X felony)

• Aggravated discharge of a firearm (Class 1 felony)

• Aggravated unlawful use of a weapon

According to records, an arrest warrant has been issued for Griffin, but it is unclear at this time whether he is in custody. A GoFundMe has been set up to provide financial support for Kilanna Gladney’s children 👉 https://gofund.me/1c7745d8