Deputy nabs alleged IL police car thief
Dec. 01, 2004 - Sentinel Clinton County Jail, By Mark Hodapp
BREESE, IL — An unmarked Breese police car was stolen by a suspect who was later apprehended and subsequently jailed on Sunday afternoon.
Kyle A. Koerkenmeier, 19, is being held on $20,000 bond in the Clinton County Jail in Carlyle.
According to State’s Attorney Stan Brandmeyer, Koerkenmeier was seen driving at a high rate of speed in Breese about 3:22 p.m. Sunday by Breese Police Sgt. Mark Berndsen, who chased the suspect and stopped him at North Fourth and Oak streets.
Berndsen noted that Koerkenmeier was not wearing a seat belt and while questioning him, Berndsen said a can of beer fell from Koerkenmeier’s vehicle.
Koerkenmeier was issued a field sobriety test which he reportedly failed, Brandmeyer told the court.
Berndsen handcuffed Koerkenmeier with his hands behind his back and placed him in the back seat of the unmarked squad car, then returned to his examination of the suspect’s vehicle.
Koerkenmeier somehow managed to step through his cuffed hands, bringing the cuffs to the front of his body. He then climbed into the front seat of the car and drove away with the emergency flashing lights still flashing.
Koerkenmeier drove past an off-duty Clinton County deputy sheriff who was in a marked squad car and Berndsen called the off-duty deputy on his cell phone and the deputy followed the stolen police car down Old U. S. Route 50 to St. Rose Road and then south to Highline Road.
The deputy, assisted by a Germantown police officer, arrested Koerkenmeier without incident on Highline Road. There was concern because of the presence of weapons including firearms in the police car the suspect had taken.
Brandmeyer told the court he intends to file several felony charges against Koerkenmeier, including theft, a Class 2 felony, obstruction of justice, a Class 4 felony, and escape. He also intends to file charges for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and other traffic charges.
Brandmeyer told the court that during an earlier encounter with a Clinton County deputy, Koerkenmeier had an alleged blood-alcohol level of 0.122, possessed cocaine and cannabis and that he intentionally damaged a deputy’s squad car.
Brandmeyer also said he is considering filing domestic battery charges against Koerkenmeier for an alleged incident on Nov. 23.
Koerkenmeier told the court that he is scheduled to enter Vantage Point for alcohol and drug rehabilitation on Dec. 13.
Circuit Judge Kelly Long set Koerkenmeier’s bond at $15,000 on the felony charges and at $5,000 for the traffic charges for a total of $20,000. The defendant needs $2,000 to get out of jail.
Long ordered that if bond is posted, Koerkenmeier is to submit to electronic home confinement and ordered he is not to be in any motor vehicle unless he is with a family member and is going either to court or to visit his attorney. The judge said that under no circumstances is Koerkenmeier to be allowed into the front seat of any vehicle.
Koerkenmeier told the court he would seek private counsel. Family members in court for the hearing on Monday told Koerkenmeier that they would not post his bond.