McHenry County Blog

A press release from the Crystal Lake Police Department:

Three Car Crash on Route 14 near Intersection of Route 176

On Tuesday, April 30, 2013, emergency crews from the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue and Crystal Lake Police Departments responded to a report of a multi-vehicle crash on RT 14 near the intersection of RT 176 at 12:50 PM.

Upon arrival, crews determined three vehicles had been involved, and that three lanes of the four-lane highway were obstructed.

Fire Rescue evaluated all occupants of the vehicles and transported three subjects to Centegra Hospital-Woodstock with what were believed to be not life-threatening injuries.

Investigation into the crash revealed that a 2012 GMC Terrain, operated by Robert Clish (67) of Harvard, IL had exited a private drive east of the intersection, intending to travel east on RT 14.

Clish’s vehicle collided with an eastbound 2008 GMC Denali, operated by Chad Chavez (33) of Crystal Lake, and subsequently a westbound 2005 Ford Freestyle, operated by Christopher Otto (37) of Crystal Lake.

All three vehicles sustained extensive damage, rendering them inoperable and requiring they be towed from the scene.

Robert Clish was cited for:

• 625 ILCS 5/11-906 Failure to Yield from a Private Drive
• 625 ILCS 5/3-707 Operation of an Uninsured Motor Vehicle

Chad Chavez was cited for:

• 625 ILCS 5/3-413(f) Expired Registration
• 625 ILCS 5/3-707 Operation of an Uninsured Motor Vehicle

Christopher Otto was cited for:

• 625 ILCS 5/3-707 Operation of an Uninsured Motor Vehicle

Traffic in the area was redirected or restricted to single lanes for approximately 25 minutes as crews treated the injured, investigated the crash and removed the vehicles and debris from the roadway.

A year and a half ago in November of 2011, Crystal Lake city officials gathered in McCormick Park to dedicate the improvements along Virginia Street financed by that street’s Tax Increment Financing District.

Among the improvements were low and high street lights that matched.

During the week of rain, I was stopped at the light at McHenry Avenue and looked at the lights.

They were not the ornamental ones put there with TIF money.

Remember those Vote Yes on the County Executive signs that showed up next to Ersel Schuster and Diane Evertsen signs on Route 14 near Harvard?

The homeowner removed them, but two more just showed up.

The email read:

“A neighbor alerted me that two more of those pesky ‘Vote Yes’ signs had been put on our property along Rt. 14. I’ve attached a photo.

“Who ever puts them up is clearly missing a back bone and other anatomical parts or they would not be afraid of being open about who they are and who they represent.

“It is already openly known that whoever is printing and posting these ‘Vote Yes’ signs is fraudulently suggesting that they are representing the McHenry County Republican Party.

“Which they are Not.

“It also certainly suggests that the push to form an executive form of county government here in McHenry County is being driven by some pretty shady characters.”

A press release from McHenry County Board member Ersel Schuster:

“This press release is to give notice that recent actions by those individuals working for the county executive referendum question are intentionally placing their signs next to many GOP candidates’ campaign signs.

“These workers/supporters are intentionally misleading the public into believing these candidates support their referendum.

“This is NOT grounded in truth.

“Further, these candidate’s campaign sign locations have been approved by property owners for the candidates and not for the referendum signs.

“It is strongly suggested that you remove your signs from these private properties and/or from the vicinity of GOP candidate signs and refrain from deliberately deceiving the public.”

Schuster is not the only to note that Jack Franks’ supporters are implementing this strategy.

A Woodstock County Board member told me of a confrontation with Franks in which he was told to take down the “Vote Yes” signs from property of a Republican Precinct Committeeman and an attorney who opposes the concentration of power referendum initiated and promoted by Franks.

Even citizens with GOP signs on their property are taking action.

Just pulling up the “Vote Yes” signs from their properties.

Here’s what the property owner wrote:

“A neighbor called to let me know that a ‘Vote Yes for Exec. Govt.’ sign had been put on our property that faces on Hwy. 14 just south east of Harvard.

“I’m attaching a couple of photos.

“There are already a couple of candidate signs on that property which were placed there with my consent.

“The ‘Vote Yes’ sign was certainly NOT granted permission to be placed there.

“I have to wonder how many other people have these dreadful signs on their property without their consent.

“This action certainly speaks very poorly of Mr. Franks and all those who support him in his effort to create a Exec. form of County government in our county.

“As you may guess, the sign is no longer on our property.”

A press release from the Crystal Lake Police Department:

“On Thursday, August 2^nd, 2012 at approximately 4:14 p.m., Crystal Lake Police were dispatched to a report of an Armed Robbery which occurred at the Cody’s Farm Fresh Stand, located on the property of 140 South Virginia Street, Crystal Lake.

“Upon arrival Officers met with the victim, a 20 year old employee of Cody’s.

“The victim advised he was approached by an unknown female/white subject.

“The female displayed a knife and implied the imminent use of force.

“The victim then provided the suspect with an undisclosed amount of United States Currency.

“The suspect who was described as a white female, approximately 5’9”, 170-180 lbs., wearing an orange jersey fled the area on foot.

“A person of interest is being questioned, and criminal charges are expected to follow.

“Crystal Lake Police continue to investigate this matter and are confident no related public threat remains at this time.”.

A press release from the Crystal Lake Police Department:

Crystal Lake Traffic Crash – Rt. 14 @ Pingree Road

On Thursday, July 19th, 2012 at approximately 12:14 PM, emergency crews from the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue and Police Departments responded to a report of a multi-vehicle crash on Rt. 14 near Pingree Road.

Upon arrival it was determined four vehicles were involved in a chain-reaction traffic crash, in one of two eastbound lanes.

Paramedics evaluated all parties involved, and transported a total of three passengers from two of the vehicles. Passenger injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, but serious enough to require immediate medical attention.

Initial investigation has determined that Colleen Mantor (43) of McHenry, IL, while driving a 2004 Chrysler Sebring, collided with the rear of a 2005 Chevrolet Tribute, operated by Luen Toy (67) of Wonder Lake, IL, which had been stopped within the traffic lane.

This collision resulted in the Chevrolet striking the vehicle ahead of it, a 2006 Toyota, operated by Mary Dyra (47) of Prairie Grove, IL, which in turn struck a 2008 Honda, operated by Renee Shopp (59) of Island Lake, IL.

Manual traffic control was provided as emergency crews tended to the injured, and removed the vehicles and debris from the roadway.

The traffic lights were set to four-way flashing red to aid in traffic control.

While Rt. 14 was not shut down completely, traffic was reduced to one lane in either direction for nearly one hour.

After the involved vehicles were removed, the traffic control lights failed to re-set, resulting in another hour of manual direction until a maintenance crew arrived and repairs were made.

Colleen Mantor was cited on-scene for Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident (Illinois Compiled Statutes 625ILCS5/11-601(A)) and released, pending a court appearance.

In the “when it rains, it pours” category, is the re-opening of Route 14 west of Dole Avenue because of a downed Com Ed power line and the closing of Route 14 between Dole Avenue and Virginia Street.

So Route 14 was blocked pretty much all of rush hour Monday.

All I saw was the aftermath of the reason for the assembly of the trucks.

Fire equipment was everywhere.

Spectators were standing in McCormick Park.  A policeman told them to move back to the tree line.

A Commonwealth Edison truck had lifted a bucket to electric lines running near trees that “Chainsaw Jack” Franks’ bill would have allowed the power company to chop down.

Meanwhile down the street at the Crystal Lake Motel, Com Ed had gotten the fallen line off the street, coming about an hour after a call was made, but Motel residents were still without power.

About two hours after Route 14 was closed for the downed electric line, the closing because of the Taco Bell fire, which looked relatively minor, it was open to traffic.

The Crystal Lake Fire Department reports that it responded at 5:25 to an activated fire alarm.

Upon arrival, the first units reported “light smoke showing and the call was upgraded for a structure fire.”

Com Ed and NICOR were called.

“The fire was extinguished when the power to the building was turned off by Com Ed,” Battalion Chief Thomas Pollnow reported.

By 7:51 the interior wall fire was under control.

Eleven other fire departments assisted.

Damage is estimated at $35,000 and the restaurant will be closed an undetermined length of time.

Right near the north end of the Virginia Street TIF District (you know the place, just look for the two $16,000 stone monuments) in front of the Crystal Lake Motel, high winds have snapped an electric line maintained by Commonwealth Edison.

In this case, it was not any of those nasty trees within 20 feet of a power line that “Chainsaw Jack” Franks wants to have cut down.

In fact, there were no trees near the line break.

The following notice was sent out by the Crystal Lake Police at 4:43 PM:

Temp Road Closure, All lanes Route 14 from Northshore Dr to Dole Ave are closed and being re-routed, down power lines

Police and fire equipment were there when I arrived.

But there were no Com Ed repair trucks when I left to write this article at about 5.

No doubt traffic reports will tell of the big jam on Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

Saturday morning it was foggy.

How foggy?

Take a look at the water tower in McCormick Park next to the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce Building.

In the foreground you can see one of the ornamental street lights financed by the Virginia Tax Increment Financing District.

That’s the one with the four $16,000 pillars at its borders on Route 14.

As I will keep repeating, a TIF District is a way for municipal officials to make off with property tax dollars which results in all other tax districts increasing their tax take in order to make up for the difference.

The latest village preparing to take part in this scam is Huntley. The village board is going to create a Downtown TIF District to raise money to make it look better.

That money will come out of the pockets of all McHenry County residents, because county government and the Conservation District cover Downtown Huntley.

I remember reading in either the First Electric Newspaper or the Northwest Herald that Trustee Pam Fender asked if the TIF District would raise taxes.

She accepted the consultant’s assurance that it was not.

The consultant was not telling the truth.

And that brings us back to our “Message of the Day”.

Fog.

Maybe the TIF consultant was just blowing smoke.

My wife and I were separately eastbound on Route 14 a bit after noon and traffic wasn’t moving.

She managed a left hand turn at Sam’s Club, but I was stuck in the right hand lane.

After some delay I managed to turn left into the Bohl Market shopping center.

The reason for the delay is outlined in the press release below from the Crystal Lake Police Department:

“On April 5th, 2012 at approximately 12:00 P.M. emergency crews from the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue and Police Departments responded to the intersection of US Rt. 14 at Exchange Drive, for a traffic crash involving a vehicle on its side.

“Upon arrival crews assessed the drivers of the two involved vehicles, determining none sustained any serious injury.

“An investigation into the crash revealed that a 2011 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck, driven by Ronald E. Oerkfitz (74) of Crystal Lake, had been traveling eastbound on Rt. 14, while a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, driven by David R. Johnson (30) of Cary traveled westbound.

“As the vehicles entered the intersection, Oerkfitz and the pickup truck attempted to turn left on to Exchange Drive, as Johnson and the SUV attempted to traverse the intersection, continuing westbound.

“The vehicles collided within the intersection resulting in severe damage to both. The pickup came to rest within the center of the roadway on its driver’s side.

“Both drivers were able to exit their respective vehicles without the need of extrication.

“Police conducted manual traffic direction as both eastbound and westbound Rt. 14 was reduced to one lane in each direction, until the vehicles and debris could be removed.

“Ronald Oerkfitz was cited with Failure to Yield when Turning Left, 625ILCS5/11-902, and was released from the scene.”