Ottawa Man Charged With Stealing From Two Homes

Nearly a year after a home was burglarized in Ottawa, investigators think they’ve found who did it.

Saul Gutierrez of Ottawa was arrested Friday on a warrant for two counts of residential burglary.  Police believe Gutierrez stole electronics, jewelry and  other things out of a home on the south side of Ottawa last August and did the same thing to a house last November on the west side of town. 

According to Ottawa detectives, sheriff’s deputies found several things stolen in the two burglaries while investigating a separate incident in the Dayton area.  The property helped lead police to Gutierrez.

He was taken to the county jail where his bond was set at 50 thousand dollars.  Investigators say charges are pending against others involved in the burglaries.

Man Arrested For Stealing Cops Taser

A man from Chicago is likely headed back to prison after he allegedly attacked a Streator cop.

When investigating a suspicious person call, an officer found Roderick Burton of Chicago and patted him down.  The officer found what he thought was drugs.  When he asked Burton about it, he allegedly battered the officer and tried to flee before the officer used his taser.

Once the officer approached Burton again, Burton allegedly attacked the officer again, stole his taser and ran a short distance before finally being caught by a couple officers.

Burton was taken to the county jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, aggravated battery to a peace officer, aggravated resisting a peace officer and unlawful use of a weapon.  The Department of Corrections issued a warrant for Burton’s arrest for violating his parole.

ATV accident injures Mendota girl

A bad end to the Fourth of July holiday for a couple of teens in Mendota.

A 16 year old girl was in critical condition after being flown to Rockford Memorial Hospital.  Police say 16 year old Karina Avila was injured during an ATV accident Sunday evening near Mendota.

The girl driving the four-wheeler, 16 year old Savannah Berry of Mendota refused medical treatment.

Police are investigating.

Film students shooting scenes in Ottawa and Streator

While it’s no Steven Spielberg or George Lucas, filmmakers will be in Ottawa and Streator later this week.

Two graduate students from Columbia College are filming scenes locally for a short film that’s part of their master’s thesis.  On July 8th, several streets in Streator will be filmed as backdrop shots in the movie with no actors in the picture.  The next two days, crews will shoot scenes in Ottawa including a car chase next Sunday that will affect traffic on Main Street between La Salle and Clinton Streets and Clinton between Main and Madison Streets.

The film is about a man who finds himself in a rural area and decides to pose as a celebrity.

Rural Ottawa woman dies after crash

A crash in rural La Salle County left a woman from rural Ottawa dead.  Investigators say 65 year old Mildred McDonnell was in Wallace Township Friday night when she for unknown reasons, drove off the road and hit a utility pole.

McDonnell was pronounced dead after being taken to Ottawa Regional Hospital.  It remains under investigation.