Springfield, Illinois – A Springfield Police Sergeant, who was supposed to be celebrating his retirement on Friday, September 6, 2024, has been charged with Aggravated DUI after causing a motorcycle crash on the evening of September 5th, around 9:20 p.m., on East Lake Shore Drive.

Today, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged Michael A. Egan with Aggravated D.U.I, a class 4 felony. He is currently in the Sangamon County Jail.

Stay tuned to this story for updates.

Sangamon County, Illinois – The Sangamon County Board’s regular meeting will take place as scheduled on Tuesday, September 10th, along with all committee meetings. However, the board meeting will be largely procedural. No substantive business, reports, presentations, or public comment will occur during this meeting.

The Board will quickly adjourn after a roll call and the approval of the previous meetings’ minutes until a special meeting on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:00 PM to be held at the Convention Center. This special meeting will cover all September business, public comment, and the possible confirmation of a new Sheriff.

The Sheriff Applicant Review Committee, established by County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter and chaired by retired 7th District Circuit Court Judge Pat Kelley, has selected seven finalists from an initial pool of fifteen applicants. Interviews with the finalists will begin next week, and each candidate will undergo a comprehensive background check.

In a joint statement, Chairman Van Meter and Committee Chairman Kelley said, “We are truly thankful for the interest and willingness to serve shown by so many candidates. The Sheriff’s Office is crucial to public safety and community trust, and we are confident that from these seven finalists, we will find the best person to lead with integrity and transparency.”

Finalists:

Timothy Becker (Athens Chief of Police; Retired Chief of Staff from the Illinois State Police)

Bryce Benton (Illinois State Police, Division of Criminal Investigation, Intelligence Command, Special Agent/Task Force Officer)

Paula Crouch (Chief Deputy Circuit Clerk of Sangamon County; Retired Lieutenant from the Springfield Police Department)

Nancy Finley (Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant)

Mike Harth (Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant)

Chris Mueller (Sangamon County Central Dispatch, Executive Director; Retired Lieutenant from the Springfield Police Department)

Bryan Pruitt (Retired from the Illinois State Police, Captain of District 10/Troop 7)

Springfield, Illinois – A Springfield Police Sergeant, who was supposed to be celebrating his retirement today, is accused of being intoxicated and causing a motorcycle crash on the evening of September 5th, around 9:20 p.m., on East Lake Shore Drive.

An eyewitness, Jason Rule, reported that Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Egan, driving a Toyota 4Runner, made a left turn from the farthest northbound lane on East Lake Shore Drive into the entrance of the Anchor Boat Club. In doing so, he cut off a motorcycle carrying two passengers, a man and a woman, causing the motorcycle to collide with the rear passenger side of Egan’s vehicle. “He didn’t even turn into the Anchor Boat Club from the turning lane; he pulled right in front of the motorcycle,” Rule stated.

Rule, who was driving behind the motorcycle at approximately 43 mph, also mentioned that when Springfield Police arrived, they provided Egan with at least four cups of water and gum, and that “he smelled like bourbon.”

Several individuals who arrived at the scene after the crash, including a Springfield Leaks reporter, observed what appeared to be special treatment from the officers. Egan was seen going in and out of his vehicle, rummaging around, and stumbling several times. “Why does he get special privileges?” one observer questioned. Another witness recalled Egan saying, “My buddies are going to take care of me.” Notably, Egan was neither handcuffed nor placed in the back of a police vehicle but instead allowed to sit in the front seat of an Illinois State Trooper’s vehicle with the front passenger door open.

Illinois State Police reported at the scene that Egan refused to perform a field sobriety test. However, Troopers kept Egan on the scene for approximately four hours before taking him for a blood test.

According to Illinois State Police Sergeant Melissa Albert-Lopez, a preliminary investigation indicates that the following occurred: ISP Troop 6 was requested by the Springfield Police Department to conduct a traffic crash investigation at the mentioned location.

The investigation revealed that Egan, driving a 2018 Toyota Tundra (Unit 1), was traveling northbound on East Lake Shore Drive, while a 2004 Kawasaki motorcycle (Unit 2) was traveling southbound. Egan failed to yield the right-of-way and made a left turn in front of the motorcycle, resulting in the motorcycle striking the side of Egan’s vehicle. Both the driver and passenger of the motorcycle were ejected and sustained serious injuries, requiring hospitalization.

Egan, a 50-year-old Springfield resident, was cited for the crash. The Illinois State Police have contacted the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, and additional charges may be filed pending the results of a toxicology report. No further information is available at this time.

We spoke with a spokesperson for Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher, who informed us that the Springfield Police Department sent out a press release. However, we have not received it yet. We will update this when we do.

Egan, who was not booked into the Sangamon County Jail, was scheduled to have a retirement party today at Anchor Boat Club, located at 407 E Lake Shore Drive, after serving with the Springfield Police Department for 23 years. However, this morning the Anchor Boat Club posted on their Facebook page, “This evening’s retirement party for Mike Egan has been cancelled.”

We are told that the driver of the motorcycle, Trevor Hopkins, is in stable condition, and the passenger, Chelsea Farley, is still in the Intensive Care Unit awaiting surgery for multiple injuries but is showing signs of brain activity.

Springfield, Illinois – On September 4, 2024, Chane L. Jones, a 42-year-old male, escaped custody from the Sangamon County Jail. Chane L. Jones was incarcerated for a warrant regarding burglary and theft and was booked into the Sangamon County Jail on September 3rd. Jones was able to mingle with three other inmates, who were administratively released from custody, and exit the jail.

Chane L Jones was apprehended in the 1100 block of North 5th Street in Springfield by US Marshalls and deputies from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. Jones is in custody at the Sangamon County Jail and faces additional charges.

This incident remains under investigation by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

Springfield, Illinois – In our ongoing coverage of the Springfield Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit and its treatment of people on the East Side of Springfield, Springfield Leaks has obtained body-worn camera footage of the arrest of Jaylin Netters, age 28. Community activist Samuel Johnson, who held a press conference with Jaylin Netters, his mother Keyda Netters, and an activist group, claims that this is yet another instance of the Street Crimes Unit targeting Black individuals on the East Side of Springfield.

Netters was arrested for aggravated battery to a police officer, obstructing a police officer, resisting arrest, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He was released from the Sangamon County Jail and was not formally charged.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL POLICE REPORT

Springfield, Illinois – Sean Patrick Grayson, a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy accused of murdering Sonya Massey in her home after responding to her 911 call about a prowler, has replaced his Naperville, Illinois attorney with a high-profile Springfield criminal defense attorney.

Attorney Mark Wykoff has taken over from Naperville attorney Brian Sexton as Grayson’s counsel, joining Daniel Fultz of the law firm Brown, Hay & Stephens

Today, Grayson will appear in a Sangamon County courtroom at 3:30 PM for a pre-trial motion seeking his release.

Wykoff, who has previously secured the release of two clients facing murder charges, stated in the motion that Grayson would remain at his home in Riverton, Illinois, where he lives with his fiancée. Grayson, a veteran who received a general discharge from the United States Army under honorable conditions, is scheduled to marry in October. He has also recently undergone a significant medical procedure and is still receiving ongoing care.

Wykoff also noted in his motion that all firearms and other weapons have been removed from Grayson’s home and that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board has suspended his certification as a police officer.

Stay tuned to Springfield Leaks for more updates to this article.

Springfield, Illinois — The Springfield, Illinois Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit is being accused of targeting people on the East Side of Springfield and turning minor traffic offenses into an opportunity to conduct traffic stops in order to search their vehicles for contraband or firearms.

According to police reports, on July 8, 2024, around 7:47 p.m., Springfield Police Officers Sgt. Michael R. Raynolds and Patrol Officer Corey Cortes reported that they observed a black Nissan sedan traveling southbound in the 1000 block of N. 9th Street. The vehicle had heavily tinted passenger-side windows, which appeared to be illegal. Sgt. Raynolds noted that, as he was driving northbound on 9th Street and observed the Nissan with visibly illegal window tints, the driver’s window was partially rolled down. The driver looked at their vehicle and continued to look toward them after passing. Sgt. Raynolds noted, “From my training and experience, I know that subjects who are in possession of illegal contraband, specifically firearms and narcotics, will view police and then continue to watch officers for their reaction.” Sgt. Raynolds then stated that he conducted a U-turn based on Ardell Hampton Jr.’s eye contact, got behind the vehicle, and exited his squad car to approach the driver’s door. “As I got out of the vehicle, the driver also got out of his vehicle. I told the driver he needed to stop because I was conducting a traffic stop. The driver advised that he did not need to stop. I then observed the subject (Ardell) bending down for a second, and I believed he was bending down to discard evidence and flee on foot. I know from my training and experience that subjects who possess illegal contraband will commonly distance themselves from their vehicle. However, surveillance video from Oscar’s Corner Store does not show that the officers had their red/blue emergency lights on when they conducted their traffic stop.”

In Officer Cortes’s report, he stated that Ardell quickly exited the vehicle and attempted to walk away, and that Sgt. Raynolds “gave him several lawful orders to stay in the vehicle and to stop walking away.” Officer Cortes also noted, “I know based on my training and experience that subjects illegally possessing firearms or contraband often attempt to quickly distance themselves from it.” However, after searching Ardell’s vehicle, officers did not find any contraband or firearms.

Officer Cortes wrote that Ardell instantly became hostile and argumentative, refused to comply with lawful orders, and attempted to “walk away even after being advised that they were conducting a traffic stop, meaning he was detained.” According to the body-worn camera footage, it appears that Ardell got out of the vehicle, dropped his keys, and bent down to pick them up. Officers then approached him, grabbed him, asked if he had something illegal on him, took him to the ground, and cuffed him. While on the ground, they asked him, “Do you have a gun on you?”

Officer Cortes continues in his report, writing, “Based on my observations, I believed that Ardell was fighting with police due to having contraband on his person and potentially a firearm. I attempted to grab his right arm, but he kept it close to his body, and I was unable to obtain control of his arm. Ardell had a significant height advantage over us, and to prevent him from continuing to fight and to de-escalate the situation, I grabbed Ardell by his head and the hoodie of his sweatshirt and pulled him to the ground.”

Ardell was initially transported to the Springfield Police Department because he told officers he was a juvenile. However, officers confirmed he was 20 years old and transported him to the Sangamon County Jail. At the Sangamon County Jail, Ardell complained of a headache and wanted to go to the hospital. Ardell was returned to the officer’s squad car and eventually given a notice to appear in court. He was also asked if he wanted a ride to the hospital, but he refused. He was then told that his mother and father were at the Springfield Police Department, given directions, and instructed to walk there.

Community Activist, Samuel Johnson, compares the current situation to the issues faced by former Sangamon County Sheriff Sean Grayson in Logan County, Illinois. Grayson is accused of murdering Sonya Massey in her home after believing she intended to throw a pot of hot water at him. In Logan County, it was reported that “Grayson stated he saw a woman suspiciously slide down in her seat in a parked pickup truck after making eye contact with him.” Johnson questions, “Are we now pulling people over and targeting them because of eye contact?”

Johnson also mentioned that, prior to this incident, he had attempted to reach out to Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher, as well as former Mayor Jim Langfelder, about the “Jump Out Boys” to arrange a meeting on policing and potential changes on the East Side. However, his calls, text messages, and emails have gone unanswered. When asked if he still wants to have this discussion with Mayor Buscher, Johnson replied, “Yes, I would still like to sit down and discuss an executive order that would establish a relationship between the Mayor’s office and the community, aiming to build solutions for the problems that persist between the police department and the citizens they are meant to protect.”

Johnson also stressed the need for stop receipts to be given to citizens who have encounters with the police. Johnson cited an Illinois law (725 ILCS 5/107-14), which states:

Temporary questioning without arrest. 
    (a) A peace officer, after having identified himself as a peace officer, may stop any person in a public place for a reasonable period of time when the officer reasonably infers from the circumstances that the person is committing, is about to commit or has committed an offense as defined in Section 102-15 of this Code, and may demand the name and address of the person and an explanation of his actions. Such detention and temporary questioning will be conducted in the vicinity of where the person was stopped.
    (b) Upon completion of any stop under subsection (a) involving a frisk or search, and unless impractical, impossible, or under exigent circumstances, the officer shall provide the person with a stop receipt which provides the reason for the stop and contains the officer's name and badge number. This subsection (b) does not apply to searches or inspections for compliance with the Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the Wildlife Code, the Herptiles-Herps Act, or searches or inspections for routine security screenings at facilities or events. For the purposes of this subsection (b), "badge" means an officer's department issued identification number associated with his or her position as a police officer with that department.

Hampton is being represented by Attorney Sara Vig of Vig Law P.C., which is located at 1100 S. 5th St. in Springfield, IL.

CLICK HERE TO READ A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT

Springfield, Illinois – We have obtained additional documents in the Homicide of Sonya Massey by a Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy.

The recordings are from the Sangamon County Dispatch

Stay tuned as we update this article

Springfield, Illinois – We have obtained additional documents in the Homicide of Sonya Massey by a Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy.

The recordings are from the Sangamon County Dispatch

Stay tuned as we update this article

Springfield, Illinois – On July 6, 2024, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 2868 S. Hoover Ave. to investigate a call regarding a prowler.

Sangamon County Sheriff Deputy Sean Grayson, who has since been fired and criminally charged with first-degree murder, along with another Sangamon County Sheriff Deputy, made contact with the 911 caller, Sonya Massey, who said she needed assistance. During that encounter, Massey was fatally shot once in the face by Grayson.

The family and the community have protested to have the body camera footage reviewed, and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney has released the footage.

There will be a peace march today at 3:00 p.m., starting at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, located at 908 S. Martin Luther King Drive. The march will proceed to Comer Cox Park, located at 301 S. Martin Luther King Drive.

Update: On behalf of Sangamon County State’s Attorney John C. Milhiser, the
Illinois State Police (ISP) is posting the body worn camera (BWC) video from the officer-involved
shooting of Ms. Sonya Massey on July 6, 2024. The release of this video is occurring after
consultation with the family of Sonya Massey.

“My prayers are with the family of Sonya Massey, and I commend the Illinois State Police for
conducting an expedited investigation into her tragic death,” said State’s Attorney Milhiser. “The
State’s Attorney’s Office is dedicated to pursuing justice through the prosecution of this case.”

On July 6, 2024, at approximately 12:50 a.m., Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a
911 call in the 2800 block of Hoover Avenue in Springfield. Former Sangamon County Deputy
Sean Grayson and another deputy made contact with the caller, Sonya Massey, at her residence.
During the interaction inside the home of Ms. Massey, former Deputy Grayson discharged his
firearm striking Ms. Massey and killing her. The Illinois State Police were contacted to conduct an
independent investigation into the shooting.

The investigation was conducted in an expedited timeframe and was first evaluated under Illinois
law for the use of deadly force. After a review of the ISP investigation, the State’s Attorney
determined the evidence did not support a finding that former Deputy Sean Grayson was justified
in his use of deadly force, and the case was presented to a Sangamon County Grand Jury. On July
17, 2024, the Grand Jury returned a five-count indictment including three counts of First Degree
Murder, Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, and Official Misconduct. On July 17, 2024, an arrest
warrant was issued, and Grayson was taken into custody. He remains in custody.

Stay tuned as we update this article.