Did you hear about this elected official?
Does his party affiliation matter?
Posted on Sun, Dec. 07, 2003
Alderman arrested by police
BY CAROLYN P. SMITH
csmith@bnd.com
An Edwardsville alderman who also is a law enforcement official led East St. Louis Police on a chase, tried to ram an officer, had to be subdued with a stun gun and finally tried to eat the cocaine in his possession, police said.
Police would not release the suspect's identity pending charges, but said they were disappointed to find one of their own in trouble.
The only Edwardsville alderman who works in law enforcement is Herb Clay, Ward 5 alderman. He is the chief probation officer for the Madison County Probation and Court Services Department.
"It's irritating to me to find people who are suppose to be working with us to clean up the drug problems participating in it," Deputy Chief Rudy McIntosh said.
Police think the alderman was buying drugs from one of the dealers on 15th Street and Lynch Avenue.
Detectives with the East St. Louis Strategic Anti-Felony Enforcement Team were working a special detail in that area after residents called police Thursday and Friday to report drug activity.
They made several arrests early Saturday, and about 2:30 p.m. they were back in the area looking for other drug dealers and drug transactions, McIntosh said.
They saw the alderman run a stop sign. An officer activated his police lights, but the suspect refused to stop, McIntosh said.
Detective Sgt. Ontourio Eiland caught up and pulled alongside the suspect's vehicle and told him to pull over.
"He rolled down his window and shouted to Eiland, 'I am one of you,'" McIntosh said.
Eiland told the suspect again to pull over. Instead, the suspect sped off.
East St. Louis detectives Dan Hill and Jerry Simon joined Eiland in the chase of the suspect's vehicle for 10 minutes. Police boxed him in on Collinsville Avenue in Fairmont City, McIntosh said.
During the chase, officers said they saw the suspect throw what may have been drugs or a weapon out the passenger window into some weeds. Police later searched the area, but failed to find anything.
The suspect also tried several times to hit the black Chevrolet Blazer that Eiland was driving, McIntosh said,
After police got the suspect's car stopped, "the officers ordered him out of the car several times. And after he exited the car, he refused to put his hands behind his back," McIntosh said.
"When the officers reached for him, he began to fight and continued to resist the officers' commands. They used a Taser gun to subdue him and get handcuffs on him," McIntosh said.
After the suspect was taken to the East St. Louis Police station and the handcuffs were removed, "he went into his pocket and removed what appeared to be powder cocaine and tried to eat it," McIntosh said.
The officers used a field drug test on the substance, and it tested positive for cocaine, McIntosh said.
The suspect sustained a small head injury during the arrest and was taken to St. Mary's Hospital for treatment about 3 p.m. After about 90 minutes he was released from the hospital and taken back to the jail, where he remained Saturday evening.
Police plan to pursue charges in the case today.
"We are serious about cleaning up our city," East St. Louis Police Chief Ronald Matthews said. " It doesn't matter who you are. If you are involved in illegal drug activity, it's just a matter of time before we pay you a visit." |
