(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. 28

Jermeisha L. Mister, 29, of East St. Louis, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant and for suspended license, speeding, disregarding a stop light and a child restraint violation on Route 3 at Gilmore Lake Road. 

Aug. 29

Floyd Q. Jackson, 26, of St. Louis, was arrested on an in-state warrant on I-255.

Aug. 31

Police were quick to act following a tip about a stolen car elsewhere in the metro east that drove into Columbia about shortly before 3:30 p.m. An officer assigned to the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force alerted Columbia police that a black 2008 Hyundai Tiburon stolen recently in Caseyville was spotted driving in Columbia. A responding officer observed the vehicle in the 1200 block of North Main Street, after which a White male and White female exited the vehicle and were seen running toward Parkview Elementary School near Bolm-Schuhkraft Park off Veterans Parkway. Police quickly set up a perimeter around the park, and the suspects were soon observed near the restrooms by the main pavilion. These suspects, 31-year-old Brandon M. Seres and 21-year-old Kelsey L. Farmer, both of Caseyville, were surrounded by police and held at gunpoint before being taken into custody in a grassy area of the park. Both were charged with unlawful possession of a converted or stolen vehicle.

Sept. 1

Emergency personnel responded about 12:45 p.m. to two crashes at the intersection of Ghent Road at Palmer Road. The first crash involved a 2014 Nissan Rogue driven by a 16-year-old Columbia female and a 2022 Volkswagen driven by Joseph Matthews, 26, of Columbia. The teen was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. The second crash, which occurred in the aftermath of the initial collision, involved a 2022 Ford SUV driven by Heidi Donald, 46, of Columbia, and a 2010 Honda SUV driven by Barbara Dillon, 75, of Waterloo. Donald was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. None of those involved in these crashes required medical transport from the scene.

Savannah D. Mills, 24, of Valmeyer, was arrested for domestic battery at 1000 Eleven South.

Larry M. Smith, 41, of Campbell Hill, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Route 158 at Frontage Road. 

Sept. 2

Emergency personnel responded about 6 p.m. to the intersection of Rueck Road at North Briegel Street after a bicyclist was struck by a vehicle. The injured bicyclist was transported by ambulance to Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis County for treatment of injuries not considered to be life-threatening. Police said a moped-style bicycle with an after-market engine attached that was driven by Gerald Kiefer, 54, of Columbia, was traveling south on Briegel Street at the intersection when witnesses said he looked right toward Main Street but failed to look left. This resulted in the bicycle colliding with a 2009 Honda SUV driven by James Lawlor, 90, of Columbia, which was traveling west on Rueck Road toward Main Street.

Sept. 3

Carrie Kapper, 40, of Columbia, was arrested for battery in the 200 block of Good Haven Drive.

Kevin N. Mills, 43, of St. Louis, was arrested for battery. 

Sept. 4

Jason M. Schaefer, 45, of Columbia, was arrested shortly after 1:30 a.m. for DUI on West Sand Bank Road.

Monroe County Sheriff

Aug. 26

Joshua L. Cole, 34, of East St. Louis, was arrested on Route 3 in Waterloo on a Venice warrant for aggravated unlawful use of weapon, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a controlled substance.

Aug. 27

Jennifer Timpe, 41, of Waterloo, was charged with possession of methamphetamine.

Aug. 28

Michael T. Mertz, 34, of Waterloo, was charged with DUI, expired registration, no insurance and a headlight violation at 1:25 a.m. on East Front Street at South Market Street in Waterloo.

Samantha J. Corzine, 28, of East Carondelet, was arrested on Route 3 in Columbia for a Monroe County failure to appear warrant.

Aug. 29

Chelsea R. Valentine, 31, of Columbia, was charged with delivery of a controlled substance (fentanyl), possession of methamphetamine and being in possession of a vehicle title without proper Illinois registration.

Aug. 30

The Waterloo Fire Department and Monroe EMS assisted deputies in responding about 7:50 p.m. to what was initially thought to be an anhydrous ammonia leak at the Gateway FS fertilizer plant in the 800 block of Gall Road west of Route 3. A family of four that resides across the street from the plant reported throat and eye irritation after detecting a strong odor of ammonia in the air and called 911. The household members ultimately declined medical transport from the scene. Waterloo Fire Chief Aaron Shive said Gateway FS employees arrived quickly to the plant to assist with the situation. It was determined there was no leak. Rather, these were vapors purposely released after draining the valves of storage tanks at the plant earlier in the day in preparation for routine inspection. The vapors temporarily remained low to the ground, resulting in the reactions reported by the nearby family. The vapors eventually dissipated, putting an end to the incident. 

Trevor A. Burgess, 31, of Waterloo, was arrested in the 1000 block of Country Club Lane on a Monroe County warrant for possession of methamphetamine.

Sept. 2

Tee J. White, 37, of Cahokia Heights, was arrested on I-255 for a Pike County failure to appear warrant. 

Sept. 3

Jon P. Linnertz, 46, of Red Bud, and Malissa M. McDonald, 36, of Waterloo, were each arrested on Hamacher Street at Rogers Street in Waterloo on Monroe County warrants for possession of a controlled substance.  

Waterloo Police

Aug. 17

Roseanne Toth, 50, of Glen Carbon, was charged with residential burglary for allegedly entering a resident’s room at Oak Hill nursing home, 623 Hamacher Street, with the intent to commit theft therein.