(Information in this report is gathered from police agencies, county courts and emergency radio dispatch. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and charges may sometimes be dropped or changed as part of the legal process.)

Columbia Police

Aug. 13

Serenity F. Foster, 23, of St. Louis, was arrested for retail theft at Midwest Petroleum, 1553 N. Main Street. Foster is alleged to have taken four bottles of alcohol valued at about $110 without paying. 

Aug. 14

Emergency personnel responded to two separate afternoon crashes. The first crash occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on North Main Street at East Whiteside Street and involved two vehicles. No injuries were reported in this incident. The second crash was shortly after 4 p.m. on Route 3 at Veterans Parkway, also involving two vehicles. There was road blockage as a result of this crash, with only minor injuries reported.

Aug. 15

Mira J. Harper-Turner, 22, of Florissant, Mo., was arrested on an in-state warrant and for driving while license suspended on I-255.

Elliot J. Newcom, 29, of Waterloo, was arrested shortly before 11:15 p.m. for battery, resisting arrest and an in-state warrant at The Barn, 315 N. Main Street.

Aug. 17

Michael D. Farmer Jr., 35, was arrested on a fugitive from justice warrant.

Illinois State Police

Aug. 10

Emergency personnel responded shortly after 3:30 p.m. to a four-vehicle crash with injuries on I-255 westbound near the Jefferson Barracks Bridge. The crash occurred shortly after a thunderstorm arrived in the area and with traffic on I-255 westbound already slowed due to road work being conducted throughout the day just across the river in South St. Louis County. A 2024 Tesla Model Y driven by David Nimmo, 76, of Troy, was traveling south on I-255 approaching milepost 4 in the middle lane of three lanes, with a 2010 Mazda 6 driven by Ricki Turner, 29, of Berkeley, Mo., traveling behind and a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze driven by Jonathan Charpentier, 50, of St. Louis, traveling behind the Mazda. The Chevy Cruze failed to reduce speed and struck the Mazda, which was then pushed into the Tesla. The Cruze then struck a 2021 Kia Sorento driven by Thomas Jones, 25, of St. Louis, in the left lane. Charpentier and Turner were both transported to an area hospital with injuries. Charpentier was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and no insurance.

Aug. 14

Emergency personnel responded about 9:30 a.m. to a crash on I-255 eastbound just on the Illinois side of the Jefferson Barracks Bridge near Columbia. A 2020 Dodge Ram Jared McMahon, 38, of Dupo, was traveling north on I-255 alongside a 2023 Kia Sportage when the two collided. McMahon was cited for improper lane usage and no insurance, and was also charged with unlawful possession of ammunition without FOID card.

Millstadt Police

Aug. 9

Shortly before 2 a.m., police observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed in the 4800 block of Centreville Avenue. Utilizing a radar, the officer clocked the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed.  As the officer was attempting to catch up to the suspect vehicle to initiate a traffic stop, the suspect vehicle struck head-on into a guardrail and knocked down a stop sign at the intersection of Centreville Avenue and Spring Lake Road. Millstadt EMS was summoned to the scene to evaluate the driver for injuries, and the driver refused treatment. The driver, Jonah M. Peterman, 21, of Columbia, was arrested for DUI, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and speeding.  

Aug. 14

On June 1, police responded to the first block of South Breese Street for a traffic crash involving a parked vehicle.  The driver of the at-fault vehicle was taken into custody under suspicion of driving under the influence and later released after submitting to a chemical test, which was submitted to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab.  Upon receipt of the lab results, the driver, Rita J. Huntoon, 69, of Waverly, Ky., was charged with DUI (drugs).

Monroe County

Aug. 3

Marcelo R. Mariani, 44, of Muscatine, Iowa, was arrested for criminal trespass to vehicle on Levee Road in Columbia. 

Aug. 10

Bernadette H. Watson, 27, of Hecker, was arrested on a Monroe County warrant (driving while license suspended).

Aug. 11

Emergency personnel responded shortly before 4:10 p.m. to a two-vehicle crash with injuries and road blockage on Route 3 at Hanover Road just north of Waterloo. A 2010 Toyota Yaris driven by Rebekah Benson of Valmeyer was crossing Route 3 from Hanover Road east to Coxeyville Road when it was struck by a 2024 Ford Expedition driven by Micah Carr of Waterloo, which was traveling south on Route 3. Carr was transported by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Aug. 13

Louann Stevens, 53, of East Carondelet was charged with possession of methamphetamine, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine).

Aug. 14

Mark T. Fortman, 47, of Fults, was charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly sending text messages on June 29, 2023, to a female victim in such a manner as to “alarm and disturb” her.

Tyler J. Bolam, 32, of New Athens, was charged with obstructing identification, driving while license suspended and no insurance in connection with a Feb. 20, 2024, traffic stop on Route 159 in Red Bud.

Aug. 15

David R. Sherrell, 42, of House Springs, Mo., was arrested on a Monroe County warrant (DUI) at 1019 N. Illinois Route 3.

Aug. 17

Lisa M. Day, 41, of Waterloo, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, a glass pipe intended to be used to inhale methamphetamine. 

Aug. 18

Aaron L. Morris, 45, of O’Fallon, was arrested on a failure to appear warrant to answer possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) charges in connection with a Sept. 9, 2024, incident. 

Waterloo Police

Aug. 7

Colin J. Karvinen, 21, of Pacific, Mo., was charged with DUI at 3:36 a.m. in the 700 block of North Market Street.

Aug. 10

Steven J. Neumeyer, 36, of Waterloo, was arrested for battery at about 6:30 p.m. at Walmart, 961 N. Market Street.

Aug. 16

Lance W. Phelps, 39, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI at 1:36 a.m. on North Main Street at East Mill Street. He was also cited for  disregarding a stop sign, no turn signal and improper turn at an intersection.

Gage N. Wienhoff, 31, of Waterloo, was arrested for DUI at 5:42 p.m. in the 300 block of North Market Street. He was also charged with disregarding a traffic control device and illegal transportation of alcohol (driver).

Aug. 18

Madee D. Gillyard, 24, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged with felony theft, conspiracy to commit financial crime and forgery following an Aug. 21, 2024, incident in which it is alleged she deposited a fraudulent check purported to be made by the City of Waterloo in the amount of $14,669.52 related to a WEX Bank fuel card payment.

Aug. 19

Emergency personnel responded shortly before 7:40 a.m. to a two-vehicle crash on South Market Street at Bulldog Boulevard near the entrance to Waterloo High School. There was road blockage and a complaint of neck pain involving one of the vehicle occupants, but none of those involved in the crash required medical transport from the scene.

Emergency personnel responded about 2:30 p.m. to a multi-vehicle crash on Columbia Avenue at Route 3 in Waterloo. Police said one person was transported by ambulance to Mercy Hospital South for treatment of unspecified injuries.