Ottawa man tries going underneath stopped train, gets hit

You never mess around a train when it’s on the tracks, whether it’s moving or not. An Ottawa man found that out the hard way Thursday morning when he was hit by a train.

A train was stopped on the Guion Street railroad crossing shortly before eight Thursday morning when Gregory Pratt attempted to cross it.

According to police captain Dave Gualandri, Pratt got off his bike and attempted to go underneath the train while it was stopped. As Pratt tried to go underneath it, the train started moving and hit him.

Pratt was charged with failure to yield at a train crossing by a pedestrian. He was taken to OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa for non-life threatening injuries.

La Salle woman killed in crash on Osage Curves

A head-on collision has taken the life of a 33-year-old woman from La Salle.

Kari Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene of a two-vehicle collision Wednesday night on Route 6 at the Osage Curves. A young passenger of hers was taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru.

The other driver, who hasn’t been named yet, was flown to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. The second driver is accused of crossing into Ryan’s lane, leading to the head-on crash.

A stretch of Route 6 near the accident scene was closed for a short time.

Relay for Life of Bureau County returns to Princeton

It’s relay for life week in Bureau County.

The relay in Princeton is back at Zearing Park this Friday from 5 until Saturday morning. In honor of 30 years for the relay, this year’s theme is “Totally Awesome 80s”. Relay-goers are urged to dress in their best 80s get up for individual and group costume contests. There will also be a 80s pop star lap and 80s movie in the park.

This year’s fundraising goal for the Relay for Life of Bureau County is $32,000. You can sign up or find more information about the relay by clicking http://relay.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLCY15LS?fr_id=67568&pg=entry

Inmate found hanging at the Marshall County Jail

A 24-year-old inmate at the Marshall County Jail committed suicide.

According to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Julie Soberri of Wenona was found Monday night hanging by a bed sheet in her cell during routine cell checks. Guards quickly cut her down and performed CPR but she was pronounced dead at the jail.

Soberri was arrested Sunday night for aggravated battery to a child. She had just been let out of prison on parole this past April after doing time for possession of a stolen vehicle.

La Salle Police announce arrest in five year old child abuse case

Sometimes persistence really does pay off.

A woman wanted for a 2009 crime in La Salle has been tracked down in Oklahoma. Police in Hugo, Oklahoma this week arrested 31-year-old Denise Benicke of Hugo on a La Salle County Warrant for aggravated battery of a child. The alleged abuse happened just after Christmas of 2009 in La Salle.

Benicke now awaits a trip back to La Salle County for a day in court. She’s facing a class X felony which means a prison sentence of 6 to 30 years.