Crash along Route 71 sends four people to Peoria

The choice to speed has an Aurora man and three of his passengers spending their holiday in the hospital.

La Salle County deputies say 22-year-old Everardo Ruiz was flying down Route 71 near Norway Wednesday afternoon when he hit three other cars. Ruiz and three of his passengers were taken initially to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa before being flown to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. One of the other drivers was treated and released from the Ottawa hospital.

Ruiz has been ticketed for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident but the crash is still under investigation.

One injured after a semi and car collide near Wenona

A drunken driver is blamed for a crash between a semi and car south of Wenona.

Deputies were called to the crash just after 9:30 Wednesday morning along North 7th Road. Anthony Booth of Toluca was driving the car while Calvin Hutson of Ransom was the semi driver. Booth was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator while Hutson wasn’t hurt.

Booth was arrested for DUI and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Hutson was also ticketed for improper parking on a road.

Peru Police Department ready for Black Friday

If you’re going shopping in the next day or two, expect to see plenty of police presence.

Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei says from the time when stores open Thanksgiving evening thru Friday night, as many as eight additional officers will be watching over Walmart and the Peru Mall. Those off-duty officers are on top of police who were already scheduled to work patrols.

A couple La Salle officers will also take extra shifts to help with the expected Black Friday rush. Walmart and the Peru Mall pay for the extra police presence.

Plans underway for lighted parade in Spring Valley

It’s almost time to light it up in Spring Valley.

The annual Lighted Santa Parade is set for Saturday, December 12th. Entry forms to have a float in the parade are still being accepted. Since Santa will anchor the parade, there are no “look-alikes” allowed on other parade floats. All floats need to be lighted. Holiday movies are this year’s parade theme.

You can register for the parade by clicking City of Spring Valley