Author: Paul Stukel

A 58-year-old Batavia woman who, in 2023, crashed head-on into a pickup truck while intoxicated, killing both occuptants, has been sentenced to 8 years in prison. Yesterday, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser announced that Judge David Kliment has sentenced Melissa J. Hill to eight years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections after Hill pled guilty in June to two counts of Aggravated DUI in a Crash Causing Death, Class 2 Felony. According to prosecutors, in the late hours of July 21, 2023, Hill left a nearby residence traveling southbound on Bliss Road, a two-lane roadway in Blackberry Township. In…

A 54-year-old homeless man is in custody in Indiana accused of brutally murdering his girlfriend in Elgin. The defendant, currently awaiting extradition to Illinois, has been charged with First-Degree Murder, a Class M felony, for having caused the death of 52-year-old Charity Geisel, of Elgin, who was found deceased in her home Sunday morning. Prosecutors allege that the defendant used a knife and dumbbell with the “intent to cause great bodily harm or death” to Ms. Geisel, ultimately resulting in her death. The Kane County Coroner performed an autopsy on Monday, with preliminary findings indicating that the cause of death…

Two juveniles were hospitalized and one slightly injured after being struck by a vehicle Saturday afternoon while waiting on a corner to cross the street. According to Oswego police, at approximately 12:51pm Saturday, officers were dispatched to the intersection of Route 34 and Heritage Drive for a major vehicle crash. The preliminary investigation indicates that an Infiniti Q50 was traveling eastbound on Route 34 when it entered the intersection against a red light. A Ford Explorer was already in the intersection waiting for an opportunity to complete a left turn onto Heritage Drive. After the traffic signal changed to red,…

A man was hospitalized after being shot Friday evening during a “meetup to purchase items.” According to police, at approximately 8:48pm officers were dispatched to the 600 block of South Liberty Street for a reported shooting, where they located an adult male with a gunshot wound who was subsequently transported to an area hospital for treatment. The preliminary investigation indicated that communication between the shooter and victim had occurred via online messaging, leading to a meetup between the parties to purchase undisclosed items. Detectives from the Major Investigations Division responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate the incident.…

In a remarkable example of cold case investigations, Aurora police have identified and arrested a 44-year-old Burlington, Illinois man in connection with the 2010 murder of an 11-month-old child. According to police, on December 17, 2010, Aurora Police and Aurora Fire Department personnel responded to a home in the 100 block of Cross Street for an 11-month-old boy who was unconscious and not breathing. The child, Michael Ortiz, was initially transported to an Aurora hospital and later transferred to another hospital for additional treatment. He died from his injuries the following day. An autopsy identified multiple injuries, and the DuPage…

In the early morning hours on Tuesday, a rather brazen burglary took place. According the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, an AR-15 rifle was stolen from a deputy’s squad car while parked outside his residence in Aurora. According to the KCSO, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division is actively developing and pursuing leads as to possible suspects in the burglary. At this time, investigators believe this was an isolated incident. Additionally, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office of Professional Standards is undertaking an internal review to assess whether KCSO policies and procedures were followed. As this remains an active investigation, anyone…

A 36-year-old Chicago woman is in custody after allegedly striking a 15-year-old bicyclist from Oswego with her vehicle early Wednesday morning and then leaving the scene of the accident. The woman’s license was suspended at the time of the incident. According to police, at approximately 12:07am, officers were dispatched to Route 31 and West Washington Street in Oswego for a report of a bicyclist who had been struck by a vehicle. The vehicle reportedly left the scene and was last seen traveling northbound on Route 31. Approximately 20 minutes after the crash, deputies from the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office located…

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence near the 47W500 block of IC Trail, near the intersection of IC Trail and Meredith Road in Virgil, early Tuesday evening to deal with an individual who had barricaded themselves inside a residence and reportedly brandished a firearm. At approximately 6;45pm Tuesday, Kane County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the residence and temporarily closed the area. Residents in the immediate area were advised to remain in place for their safety. After a brief standoff, the subject was taken into custody and the roadway was re-opened. Residents were asked to return to their…

A confirmed case of measles in Kaneland High School has health authorities on alert for potential additional cases and spreading the word to any who may have been exposed to the disease. The Kane County Health Department (KDHC) is investigating a confirmed case of measles in a Kaneland High School student who was unvaccinated against measles. According to the department, the victim is no longer infectious. According to a report from WBBM Radio, students at the school had an e-learning day Tuesday because of concerns over possible exposure. “A spokesperson for Kaneland School District 302 tells WBBM, a student tested…

A Houston man is in custody after 330 pounds of cocaine was found in the semi-truck he was driving on I-88 in Aurora Township. Late last month, deputies from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit conducted a traffic stop on a 2011 Freightliner semi-truck with a Texas license plate that was traveling eastbound on I-88 near Illinois Rt. 31. During the traffic stop, deputies discovered 330 pounds of cocaine located under the sleeper compartment of the truck. As a result, the driver, a 46-year-old Houston man, was arrested and has been charged with Controlled Substance Trafficking and Unlawful…