Peru doctor faces new charges

    A Peru doctor awaiting trial for delivering narcotics will be arraigned on new charges Wednesday. The News Tribune reports Peru physician, Dr. Constantino Perales faces 14 new counts of delivering the pain-killer oxycodone and /or the anti-anxiety drug Xanax. Perales is also charged with conspiring with another individual to distribute a controlled substance, quote, “in Peru and elsewhere”. That second man is identified by the News Tribune and federal court records as 33-year old Andrew Strandell, a longtime Bureau County resident whose last known address was Mendota. The 64-year old Perales remains free on bond and awaits trial in his Peru home. Federal authorities began tracking the suspended physician in April 2012 when it’s alleged he dispensed medically unnecessary prescription drugs 17 times to 3 different patients, according to his indictment.

Naplate woman accused of stealing from Skydive Chicago visitors

While people were busy looking up at Skydive Chicago, a Naplate woman is accused of taking the opportunity to steal from multiple people at the skydiving business.

Deputies Friday got several complaints of theft and they decided to pay a visit to 49-year-old Traci Turnquist in Naplate. She was arrested for felony theft and a petition was filed to revoke her probation.

Turnquist was taken to the county lockup with bond set at $25,000.

Skydiver lands in a tree along the Fox River near Ottawa

Not every skydive went off without a hitch Friday from Skydive Chicago.

Firefighters from Marseilles and Wallace were called about a skydiver suspended from a tree along the Fox River not far from Skydive Chicago. The woman wasn’t hurt but was stuck in the tree for a few hours.

The call for help came around 9 Friday night.

La Salle man avoids prison after a fight that killed his stepfather

A La Salle man who was once looking at involuntary manslaughter and home invasion charges has accepted a plea deal where he avoids prison time.

Twenty-one-year-old Darnell Williams pled guilty Thursday to the misdemeanor charge of reckless conduct. He was given two years conditional discharge and six months in jail which he’s already served.

Williams was arrested Valentine’s Day weekend initially for home invasion and involuntary manslaughter after a fight that killed his stepfather, 47-year-old Mark Jonas. During the scuffle, Williams used a rock, plastic shovel, and gas can.

Jonas went unresponsive during the scuffle and was pronounced dead at Illinois Valley Community Hospital. The doctor who performed an autopsy says he died from a heart attack caused in part by the altercation.

Because of the medical issue with Jonas, La Salle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne backed off the involuntary manslaughter charge. He also dropped the home invasion charge early in the investigation since it appeared the fight happened just outside the house.

Dispatcher and trooper based in La Salle nominated for state awards

A couple members of the state police district out of La Salle are being recognized for their efforts.

The 38th annual awards ceremony for the Illinois State Police was this week. District 17 Trooper Michael Kasprak was a nominee for Officer of the Year while Tavis Fivek was a nominee for Telecommunicator of the Year.

Troopers across the state were also given awards in categories like the “Purple Heart” and “Lifesaving Medal”.