(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

Dec. 28

Columbia police are investigating after a man tried to spend a fake $50 bill at McDonald’s about 2:20 p.m. An employee of the restaurant kept the fake bill and called police while the suspect, a male, was still inside. However, the suspect left McDonald’s prior to police arrival.

Jan. 7

Joseph S. Garcia, 44, of Cahokia, was arrested for unlawful possession of a hypodermic syringe, driving while license revoked and no rear registration light on Route 3 southbound at South Main Street.

Jan. 8

Elizabeth G. Naumann, 29, of Columbia, was arrested on an in-state warrant and for expired registration on North Main Street at Lepp Street.

Robert E. Zdroj, 68, of Dupo, was arrested for driving while license suspended, no insurance, expired registration and illegal transportation of alcohol on Route 3 at the I-255 split.

Jan. 10

Columbia police, fire and EMS personnel responded about 8:40 a.m. to a carbon monoxide leak inside the new O’Reilly Auto Parts building under construction at 135 Admiral Trost Drive. An estimated that 10-12 construction employees inside the building complained of headaches and other symptoms consistent with carbon monoxide exposure. All were treated by Columbia EMS at the scene and the construction site was closed down for the day. The leak was caused by a commercial heater running on diesel fuel that was being used to cure drywall.

Columbia police, fire department and EMS responded to a home in the 900 block of North Main Street about 10 a.m. for a fire caused by a person welding on a demolition derby inside a garage. Welding sparks ignited a gas tank during the incident, after which the father of the young man doing the welding sustained severe burns to his arms and face while handling the gas tank.

Jan. 12

Police are investigating after two men stole a basket of alcohol products from CVS Pharmacy, 100 Admiral Trost Drive, and left the store in a red Chevrolet Lumina about 3:30 p.m. The suspects were described as a 6-foot-tall white male with black pants and a black hoodie and a 5-foot-5 black male with no hair and wearing a green hoodie. They knocked down a customer in the parking lot while fleeing the store. That person declined medical transport. The suspect vehicle, with a license plate that returns out of Cahokia, also ran a red light on Route 3 at Bottom Avenue in Columbia.

Jan. 13

Police are investigating a possible residential burglary reported about 6:30 p.m. in the 400 block of Burroughs Court. The homeowner said a garage door was open at her residence upon arrival and the home was ransacked inside. Police said they have a “strong person of interest” in the case.

Millstadt Police

Dec. 20

Sean L. Meehan, 27, of Belleville, was arrested for retail theft from Dollar General on West Washington Street after leaving the store without paying for a cell phone. 

Dec. 21

Glynna R. Reed, 52, of Millstadt, was arrested for resisting a peace officer following a domestic disturbance about 1:35 a.m. on West Oak Street.

Dec. 29

Parker L. Kolb, 19, of Millstadt, was charged with improper lane usage, driving too fast for conditions, illegal transportation of alcohol and failure to report an accident at South Jefferson and White Street. 

Jan. 7

Robert S. Harrison, 49, of Millstadt, was arrested on a larceny warrant out of St. Louis on North Jefferson Street.

Jan. 8

Charles R. Burkhead, 31, of Millstadt, was arrested on a Monroe County traffic warrant in the 100 block of South Illinois Street.

Monroe County Sheriff

Jan. 10

Charles Carraway, 53, of East St. Louis, was arrested on a Monroe County petition to revoke court supervision stemming from a prior DUI conviction.

Valmeyer Police

Jan. 10

Michael C. Presley II, 37, of Dupo, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine.

Waterloo Police

Jan. 2

Jaime Cotter, 43, of Waterloo, was issued a city ordinance violation for failure to restrain dog after her dog killed another dog in the 800 block of James Street.

Jan. 8

Macie Block, 20, of Waterloo, was arrested for retail theft at Walmart after allegedly stealing a bottle of Fireball whiskey from the store. She was arrested Jan. 9 for retail theft at Walgreens after allegedly stealing seven boxes of cough medicine from the store.

Jan. 11

Tyler Crites, 33, of Waterloo, was arrested at West Fourth Street and South Church Street on a St. Clair warrant and for failure to give information following a hit-and-run crash, no insurance and driving while license revoked. 

Jan. 12

Daniel Barbeau, 39, of Waterloo, was arrested for obstructing a peace officer in the 300 block of Front Street.