Police News 05-16-14

East Peoria Man Charged After Traffic Accident (Canton, IL) -- An East Peoria man is facing charges after an accident involving the vehicle he was driving and one that was parked. Canton police say they were dispatched to a traffic accident Wednesday night at just after 11:45. The caller told police that the suspect was squealing the tires on his car trying to break loose and leave the scene in the 800 block of East Elm Street. Once at the scene, the officer told the suspect to stop trying to get loose, the he continued to try and break free. The officer then reached into the vehicle and shut the vehicle off and took the keys. The driver of the vehicle was then identified as 53-year old James A. Phipps. Phipps was then asked to exit the vehicle and perform several field sobriety tests, which he allegedly failed. He was then arrested and taken to the Canton Police Department. Phipps was processed on charges of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, DUI and DUI over .08. He then posted his driver's license, a $100 cash bond and a $20 processing fee before being released. Phipps was also given a June Fulton County Court date in Lewistown. Canton Police Conduct Traffic Survey (Canton, IL) -- The Canton Police Department recently conducted a traffic survey on Middle Park Drive in Canton. The survey took place between May 6th and May 14th. According to the survey the average speed was 23 miles per hour, the posted speed is 30 miles per hour. The number of vehicles traveling between 0 and 30 miles per hour were 1178; the number of vehicles traveling between 31 and 35 miles per hour were 107; between 36 and 40 miles per hour were 12; and the number of vehicles traveling 41 miles per or more was 11. The total number of vehicles traveling the street during the survey was 1,308. The traffic survey revealed that the highest volume of traffic was at 11 in the morning and then again at 4 in the afternoon. Peorian Indicted By Tazewell County Grand Jury For Pekin Car Burglaries (Pekin, IL) -- A Peoria teen has been indicted in connection with a string of car burglaries that took place in Pekin. 18-year old Gage King was indicted by a Tazewell County Grand Jury on Thursday. King is one of two people charged in the car burglaries. He faces a single county of burglary. The second defendant is Gabriel Thompson who was arrested last month in the 1200 block of Florence. King is schedule to appear in Tazewell County Circujit Court on May 22nd. Thompson will appear in court on May 30th. Formal Charges Filed For Gas Station Robbery (Peoria, IL) -- A Peorian accused of robbing the same gas station several times has now been formally charged. 36-year old Jerry A. Johnson was charged on Thursday with four counts of armed robbery in connection with robberies that took place on May 9th, 111th, 12th and 13th at the Marathon Gas Station located on Knoxville in Peoria. Johnson is due back in Peoria County Circuit Court on May 20th. He is being held in the Peoria County Jail on a $450,000 bond. Two Indicted In Pekin Burglary Ring By Tazewell County Grand Jury (Pekin, IL) -- Two people were indicted by a Tazewell County Grand Jury in connection with a burglary ring in Pekin. The grand jury indicted 25-year old Justin Petty and 23-year old Casey Landrith on Thursday. The two were charged with burglary and theft. 30 businesses in East Peoria, Pekin and Peoria have been burglarized since the beginning of the year. Police believe the items were taken from the businesses to support a drug addiction. One Dead After Cairo Bank Heist (Cairo, IL) -- One person is dead after a bank heist in Cairo. Police say a man walked into First National Bank on Washington Avenue dressed in dark clothes and armed with a gun and a knife last night. Something must've gone wrong inside the bank because the robber attacked at least three people. One died after being transported to the hospital. The suspect fled the scene but was arrested a short time later.