Peru Police and Secret Service agents arrest a Georgia woman for forgery

Something didn’t seem right when a woman from Georgia tried cashing several U.S. Department of the Treasury checks in Peru.  Michelle Knox of Stockbridge, Georgia was arrested for forgery while leaving the Peru Wal-Mart Wednesday evening. 

The investigation involved the Peru Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.  Knox was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Decatur Woman Dies in Route 18 Crash

One woman is dead and another person was taken to a Peoria hospital after a two car crash Thursday morning that closed Route 18 just west of I-39.

State Police say two cars were involved.  The driver of one car 64-year-old Mary Tucker of Decatur, was pronounced dead at the scene.  The other driver was taken to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

State Police and the La Salle County Coroner’s office are still trying to figure out what happened.

Power restored in Grand Ridge and Spring Valley

Let the heaters run in Spring Valley and Grand Ridge.  The Grand Ridge area had approximately 970 Com Ed customers without electricity Thursday morning.  A spokeswoman said the outage was caused by downed wire.

In Spring Valley, 70 customers were without service Thursday morning.  A caused wasn’t given for that outage.

Hundreds of homes were affected by power outages in Putnam County Wednesday night.  Warming centers were opened at the McNabb Fire Station and the EMA building in Hennepin.

A gun charge for a Peru man

A call about a problem between a man and woman in Peru turned into a felony gun charge.  Police were called Wednesday afternoon.  When they arrived, they say Bruin Craig was trying to leave with two handguns. 

Craig was arrested for unlawful use of weapons.  Police say he didn’t have a FOID card.  Craig was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Whiteout conditions reason for Rt 251 crash

Blowing snow made the ride on Route 251 between Mendota and Peru dangerous.  The road was blocked off for awhile late Wednesday afternoon while La Salle County Sheriff’s deputies cleared an accident involving Jane Kain of Utica and Cody Browne of Mendota.

Police say Kain stopped in the road because of whiteout conditions and was hit by Browne.

There were many other minor accidents yesterday evening.