McHenry County Blog

A press release from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department:

Sheriff’s Office Makes Arrests in Barn Fires Investigation

Sheriff Keith Nygren announced today the arrest of two 17 year old males responsible for multiple fires in the rural McHenry County area.

Joseph Gedis and Andrew Wiegand, arrested for torching barns and both from Crystal Lake, appeared on Channel 7 in the Six O’Clock News.

Since May 29, 2012, the Sheriff’s Office has experienced six fires in rural Woodstock, Marengo and Harvard involving hay barns. In addition to the fires in McHenry County, Kane and Boone Counties and Lakewood have also experienced barn fires in their respective jurisdictions.

An anonymous tip from the public resulted in the identification of two suspects.

The two males were interviewed on Friday, August 10, 2012 and admitted to their involvement with the fires along with multiple criminal acts within the City of Crystal Lake.

The fires covered a span of over sixty days and over an estimated one million dollars in property damage.

The two suspects have been charged as adults for

• arson
• criminal damage to propert
• criminal trespass to property

for five fires.

The investigation is continuing and additional charges may be forthcoming.

Along with the Sheriff’s Office,

Barn fire on Harmony Road next to Huntley High School (misidentified in the press release). Photo credit David Moore.

• Crystal Lake PD
• McHenry County Conservation Police
• Huntley PD
• Algonquin PD
• Cary PD
• Crystal Lake Fire
• Woodstock Fire
• Algonquin Fire
• Marengo Fire
• Huntley Fire
• SEECOM
• ATF,and
• the Illinois State Fire Marshall

assisted in the investigation.

Following is a list of the fires the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office has linked to the 17 year olds:

• 13900 Block of Harmony Rd., Marengo (sic) Date of Fire: 06/29/2012 10:36 P.M.
• 13900 Block of Pleasant Valley Rd., Woodstock Date of Fire: 07/10/2012 10:06 P.M.
• 11800 Block of Pleasant Valley, Rd., Lakewood Date of Fire: 07/03/2012 9:59 P.M.
• 2500 Block of River Rd., Marengo Date of Fire: 07/23/2012 11:25 A.M.
• 9800 Block of Lucas Rd., Crystal Lake Date of Fire: 07/24/2012 9:20 P.M.

Arrested: Charges:
Joseph Gerdes, 17 years old Arson (Class 2)
868 Coventry Criminal Damage to Property (Class 3)
Crystal Lake, IL Criminal Trespass to Property (Class A)

Andrew Wiegand, 17 years old Arson (Class 2)
1472 Bridgedale Rd Criminal Damage to Property (Class 3)
Crystal Lake, IL Criminal Trespass to Property (Class A)

The charges against the above named defendants are merely allegations against him. The above named defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

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The Crystal Lake Police Department adds this information:
“On August 11, 2012, Crystal Lake Police were notified by McHenry County Sheriff’s of two juvenile subjects that were in custody for a series of barn fires surrounding the McHenry County area, including a barn fire on Lucas Road that was within the Crystal Lake City limits.

“Working in conjunction with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, Crystal Lake Police were able to establish that the same two subjects were also responsible for setting fire to

• a couch that was left out for trash removal on the parkway in the 1300 block of Loch Lomond Drive and
• a mattress set on fire that was also left out on the parkway in the 1400 block of Candlewood Drive.

“Both fires occurred during the evening hours of June 12, 2012.

“Additionally, Crystal Lake Police also were able to link the two subjects to five separate acts of Tampering with a Fire Hydrant (Class B Misdemeanors) on Bedford Drive and Sutherland Drive where five fire hydrants were opened, all within residential neighborhoods. These incidents occurred on June 26, 2012, during the evening hours.

“Crystal Lake Police will review these additional findings with the McHenry County State’s Attorney Office regarding criminal charges.

“Both male juveniles are residents of Crystal Lake.”

A message from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department:

Currently Investigating several rural barn fires. MCSO looks to community for assistance in reporting suspicious persons/ activity

This barn burned on June 29th. It is on the estate of Linda Moore’s parents. Photo credit: David Moore. The address is 13921 Harmony Road in Huntley. 

Sheriff Keith Nygren announced today the active investigation of multiple fires in the rural McHenry County area. Since May 29, 2012, there have been several fires in rural Woodstock, Marengo, Huntley, and Harvard involving hay barns. In addition to the fires in McHenry County: Kane County and Boone County have also experienced barn fires in their respective jurisdictions.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is working in conjunction with neighboring county, local police and fire departments and the state fire marshal. The investigation to determine cause and origin and possible criminal activity is ongoing. To date, one fire in the 22500 block of River Road is deemed to be suspicious in nature.

The following is a list of the fires the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating:

• 1100 Block of N Queen Anne Rd, Woodstock. Date of Fire: 05/29/2012 7:26 PM
• 11100 Block of Payne Rd, Marengo Date of Fire: 06/05/2012 1:32 PM
• 18400 Block of Lincoln Rd, Harvard Date of Fire: 06/28/2012 3:10 PM
• 13900 Block of Harmony Rd, Marengo Date of Fire: 06/29/2012 10:36 PM
• 13911 Block of Pleasant Valley Rd, Woodstock Date of Fire: 07/10/2012 10:06 PM
• 22500 Block of River Rd, Marengo Date of Fire: 07/23/2012 11:25 AM

The Sheriff’s Office wants to make sure that the rural farming community is aware of this information.

We encourage suspicious activities to be reported immediately and appreciate the support from our community.

Sheriff Keith Nygren requests that anyone with information regarding this investigation contact either the McHenry County Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 1-800-762-STOP (7867), The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 815-338-2144, or the tip line email address: TipLine@co.mchenry.il.us

Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the offender(s). Crimestoppers does not use caller ID. For full details, view this message on the web.

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My political antenna points out that Undersheriff Andrew Zinke’s name is not mentioned above.

The Moore family home.

There were plenty of political motives to change the longstanding agreement that Huntley 158 had which allowed Linda Moore and her family to live in the house she grew up in.

Linda’s family sold the school district the property that Huntley High was on and retained the right to live in the tiny house on the opposite side of Harmony Road. The house was 1,200 square feet; the hen house 350 sq. ft.

Linda Moore ran for school board. The political knives of existing school board members
came out.

She ran with Aileen Seedorf, who was the top vote getter. Board President Mike Skala narrowly lost (13 votes) to his running mate Jim Carlin. Linda Moore ran just one vote behind.

Skala’s friends on the board were ticked.

David and Linda Moore talk with former school board member Glen Stewart after he was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Huntley School District 158 by his fellow school board members.

Superintendent John Burkey appears to have begun a mission to generate negative publicity about Moore being in the house rent free and how this somehow was so terrible or unfair. Burkey certainly seemed glad to allow negative publicity and administrator remarks be directed at the Moores.

Apparently honoring an existing legal agreement is subject to interpretation when you have “free” legal services of the government at one’s disposal.

The Moore family farm barn and silo.

The district insisted on charging rent. The Moore’s simply moved almost next door, to another house they own.

Now the school district is about to authorize tearing the tiny house down, along with the hen house and barn.

The demolition cost will be over $44,000.

The district could have avoided spending the money.

But that would have meant allowing the Moore family to live in the tiny house. The Moores were responsible for the upkeep of the house and maintenance of the grounds. An old drafty house is expensive to heat in the winter. Paying what rent the district wanted made sense for one year as a transition, but it wasn’t economical to stay.

The kitchen was bright.

School board members knew that. They also knew it would be expensive to tear down the buildings. At the time, board member Larry Snow told the board that it would cost at least $20,000 to tear down the building and the board majority scoffed that it could cost this much.

More than $44,000 for demolition will be likely approved at July’s board meeting.

Not a penny of which, of course, will go toward improving the educational services of the students.

Johler Demolition will get to keep the boards after tearing down one of Huntley’s historic
barns. I wonder if paneling basements in barn boards is still in style.

School board politics and not wanting the Moore’s to live in the family house means one of
Huntley historic barns will get torn down.

The demolition bids can be found on page 8 at this link.

No thought of allowing a teacher who was starting out to rent the home, I guess.

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Starting in 1842, the Williams family lived on the farm it purchased for $75. In 1942 Linda Moore’s grandfather, Louis Borhart brought the farm. The family moved next door two yea+rs ago.

Here’s a part of U.S. Route 14 most people in McHenry County probably haven’t seen.

It’s on the way to Devil’s Mound in Wyoming.

Don’t you wonder how long this decrepit barn has been around?

I wonder if it is as long as those on the McHenry County Barn Tour October 10th.

John Hammer, President of the McHenry County Historical Barn Preservation Association, is seeking Grafton and Dorr barn lovers for the fall tour. Here’s his pitch to folks who are already members. I’m told it’s OK to share with non-members now.

The McHenry County Barn Tour is an all day event where three coach buses venture in to McHenry County’s countryside to see the magnificent barns of our county. This year the tour will feature the barns located in two townships – Grafton & Dorr. The tour date is October 10, 2009.

As a member and supporter of the McHenry County Historical Barn Preservation Association, you will have first preference to enjoy the barn tour before it is offered to the general public.

There are 150 seats available and will be filled on a first-come-first-serve basis. The tour usually fills within 2-3 weeks, so if you are interested I would recommend acting immediately. If you are interested in going on the barn tour please print the attached information and Registration Form, detach and fill out the Registration Form portion, and mail it in with your payment to register for the tour. Also, please note that you can save on the tour by renewing your membership if it is not current.

 
The barn show is on Route 173 between Hebron and Greenwood Road. It will not be on the tour.

This is a picture of a barn taken on the fly, so to speak, while we were driving to the Old Capitol Art Fair in Springfield, Illinois, on I-39 last year.

Even to my colorblind eyes, the sky was beautiful that evening.

This is a picture of a barn taken on the fly, so to speak, while we were driving to the Old Capitol Art Fair in Springfield, Illinois, on I-39 last year.

Even to my colorblind eyes, the sky was beautiful that evening.