What on earth is going on in Island Lake?

Here is a follow-up post on the blog “What’s Happening in Island Lake?” complete with video of the arrest!

You will remember from yesterday that disabled marine veteran Greg Kachka was threatened with arrest because of the tee-shirt he wore to the last village board meeting.

At least that guy in neighboring Prairie Grove didn’t arrest me when the school board thought I laughed too loud and when I took pictures through the District 46 school library’s Venetian blinds.

Maybe there’s something in the water along Route 176.

BREAKING NEWS! GREG KACHKA ARRESTED

Posted by Laurie at 6:08 PM

Today, Island Lake resident, Greg Kachka, a disabled Vietnam Veteran of the United States was arrested by VOIL Police at his home for charges of disorderly conduct stemming from alleged misconduct during a March 13 VOIL Board meeting.

According to Mr. Kachka, he was accused of making a hand gesture of shooting a gun at trustee Debbie Herrmann.

During the video of said meeting, I have found no such evidence that any hand gestures were made or any fear or intimidation of the resident, an outspoken resident who attends meetings regularly.

Video (1 minute, 44 seconds) of the arrest can be found on this link.

I posted bail after an anonymous citizen put up the $400 bail money needed to release Mr. Kachka from the VOIL jail.

After being released, Mr. Kachka was in good spirits but noted he was in pain from tightly bound handcuffs and from having to maneuver his body in ways that were next to impossible due to his many disabilities.

When asked, Mr. Kachka said he was not read his miranda rights and was not shown any warrant for his arrest, only that he was told by the police that they had a warrant for his arrest.

In my opinion, this situation can really only be summed up as retaliation.

This is a man who came to Board meetings on a regular basis, confronted the Board many times, confronted the Mayor and asked questions, pointed out wrong doings.

And in return, in my opinion, this is what happens to a regular citizen who in my opinion, “gets out of line” and “isn’t afraid of Mayor Hyde and his cronies.”

Posted by Laurie at 5:50 PM

You will notice that Vietnam Vet Greg Kachka is wearing the same tee shirt he wore at the Island Lake village board meeting as three policemen in two cars take him into custody.

An indication that the Village of Island Lake isn’t a complete police state yet is the apparently lack of an arrest of the person taking the video footage.

Oh, well. There’s still time. The village board meeting was a couple of weeks ago, I think.

I also note that Richard Garling, the Democratic Party candidate against State Rep. Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills) is on the Island Lake village board. I wonder what he thinks of all of this.

Pictures of the arrest are from the linked video may be enlarged by clicking on them. The photo of Island Lake Village President Tom Hyde is from the village web site. All photos may be enlarged by clicking on them.

The “friendly community” line is from the village web site the day of the arrest.