Springfield, Illinois – A mother and police are asking the public for assistance in locating a stolen vehicle. The vehicle is a black Jeep Compass with license plate number of BM 62578.
The theft of the vehicle occurred approximately around 3 a.m., today January 21, 2020.
If you see this vehicle, you can contact police at (217) 788-8311 or (217) 788-8325.
Springfield, Illinois – Today, on January 21, 2020, around 1:15 a.m., the Springfield Fire Department responded to the 1200 block of S. 7th St., for an apartment building (converted house) fire.
When firefighters arrived there was heavy fire on the 2nd floor, and two people in need of rescue from the 2nd floor roof. The two people, who were in need of rescue, were removed by ladder and treated by ambulance at the scene, but were not taken to the hospital.
Springfield Police also responded to the scene to assist, and evacuated the occupants in the apartment north of the fire as a precaution. Springfield Fire Chief, Allen Reyne, also informed Springfield Leaks that a firefighter was injured and will need stitches.
One of the residents of the apartment complex said the cause of the fire was the result of an uncontrollable grease fire.
Chief Reyne confirmed to Springfield Leaks that the fire cause is accidental.
The building is heavily damaged as a result of this fire and Ameren, CWLP, Red Cross were contacted for the 4 displaced occupants of the apartment building.
Springfield, Illinois – Today, on January 21, 2020 around 12:45 a.m., Springfield Police responded to Circle K, located at 1801 North Grand Ave E. for an armed robbery.
The suspect was described as a black male wearing a black trench coat with a black hood. The suspect also had a blue back pack and was wearing dark jean and white shoes. The suspect was described to be approximatelyin his late 20’s or early 30 years of age.
The suspect told the gas station employee to ring him up for a pack of Newport cigarette. Once the employee was ringing up the cigarettes, the suspect pulled a gun on the employee and told the employee to open the register.
A witness to this crime reported to Springfield Leaks that they saw the suspect walk out of the business with a handful of cash and then started running away from the scene.
Springfield Police responded to Circle K to locate the suspect, but at this time, it does not appear that the suspect was immediately located and taken into custody.
This is the second armed robbery to a business on North Grand Ave in less than 4 hours. The first armed robbery occurred at China King located at 120 W. North Grand Ave. That armed robbery occurred around 9:45 p.m., yesterday on January 20, 2020. A suspect was not immediately located.
At this time, we can’t confirm if these two armed robberies are connected.
Stay tuned to Springfield Leaks for updates.
Springfield, Illinois – Today, January 20, 2020, around 9:46 p.m., Springfield Police responded to China King, located at 120 W. North Grand Ave. for an Armed Robbery.
Police advised that the suspect was a light-skinned black Male, with long black hair (possibly dreads), wearing gray jeans, and a black coat that possibly had fur around the hood. The suspect displayed a black semi-automatic handgun and left China King on foot towards 2nd St.
Several officers responded the area and initiated a perimeter to locate the suspect. In addition, a K9 dog was called to the scene to assist in locating the suspect.
At this time, the suspect in the armed robbery of China King was not located.
Springfield, Illinois – Yesterday, January 17, 2020, around 7:35 p.m., Springfield Police responded to Renfro and Laurel for a report of a gray Audi that struck three unoccupied parked vehicles.
According to witnesses, the suspect, who has now been identified as Jason E. Templeton, age 45, was speeding in a gray Audi that crashed into the back of an unoccupied and parked white Ford F-150 truck. The impact of the crash caused the Ford F-150 truck to crash into two other unoccupied and parked vehicles. Jason then exited the gray Audi and dropped a beer can into the street. He then attempted to walk away from the crash by walking westbound towards 15th and Laurel, according to witnesses at the scene.
Witnesses at the scene were able to follow Jason while he was attempting to flee, and detained him. Jason, who was detained by witnesses, was then escorted back to the crash scene until police arrived.
In the vehicle was also a passenger. The passenger, who’s airbags were also deployed, was able to exit the gray Audi and waited at the scene until police arrived. Police arrived to the scene and immediately took the driver of the gray Audi into custody and called an ambulance to treat the passenger. The passenger’s injuries were described as non-life threatening. The passenger was taken to Memorial Medical Center to be treated.
According to records, Jason has been arrested three times, previous to yesterday’s crash, for driving under the influence. His first arrest for driving under the influence was on December 10, 2010 by the Sherman, Illinois Police Department. His D.U.I. charge in that case was immediately dismissed after his third court appearance.
Jason was then arrested on July 12, 2019 and then again on July 18, 2019 for driving under the influence. These two D.U.I cases are currently open and Jason is expected to appear in court on February 18, 2020 for another hearing.
At this time, after yesterday’s traffic accident, which injured his passenger, Jason is facing several charges in his fourth DUI arrest.
According to Sangamon County Jail Officials, Jason is facing pending criminal charges of Driving under the influence, Aggravated DUI, Revoked/Suspended Driver’s License, Unlawful possession of a vehicle and Motor vehicle theft of a vehicle over $10,000.
At this time, Jason is being held in the Sangamon County Jail with No Bond.
Springfield, Illinois – Today, around 7:35 p.m., Springfield Police responded to Renfro and Laurel for a report of a gray Audi that struck three unoccupied parked vehicles.
According to witnesses, a white male wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans, who was speeding in a gray Audi, crashed into the back of a unoccupied and parked white Ford F-150 truck. The impact of the crash caused the Ford F-150 truck to crash into two other unoccupied and parked vehicles. The driver of the gray Audi then exited the vehicle and dropped a beer can into the street. He then attempted to walk westbound towards 15th and Laurel, according to witnesses at the scene.
Witnesses at the scene were able to follow the driver, while he was attempting to flee, and detained him. The driver, who was detained by witnesses, was escorted back to the crash scene until police arrived.
In the vehicle was also a passenger. The passenger, who’s airbags were also deployed, was able to exit the gray Audi and waited at the scene until police arrived. Police arrived to the scene and immediately took the driver of the gray Audi into custody and called an ambulance to treat the passenger. The passenger’s injuries were described as non-life threatening. The passenger was taken to Memorial Medical Center to be treated.
According to officers at the scene, the driver appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
Stay tuned for updates to this story.
Springfield, Illinois – A Springfield Man posted a picture on Facebook wearing a blackface and wrote, “Attempting to get the white girls back.” The picture, which has been made public, has been deemed by many people as being racist, inappropriate and as a hate speech.
The man has been identified as Ronald D. Beavers Jr., age 33. At the time of this article, the picture was shared 75 times on facebook with many laughing at the photo and others deeming the photo as racist.
The practice of blackface started around 1830 in New York City and began to be popular among post-Civil War whites. White theater performers would darken their skin with shoe polish, greasepaint or burnt cork and paint on enlarged lips and other exaggerated features. The white theater performers would stereotype black men and women as ignorant, hypersexual, superstitious, and lazy people who were prone to thievery and cowardice.
In 1848, The North Star newspaper reported that abolitionist Fredrick Douglass watched a blackface performance and called the performers “the filthy scum of white society.” Douglass went on to say that the black performers, “have stolen from us a complexion denied to them by nature … to make money and pander to the corrupt taste of their white fellow-citizens.”
According to the University of South Florida Library, one of the most popular blackface characters was “Jump Jim Crow.” “Jump Jim Crow” or “Jim Crow” is a song and dance from 1828 that was done in blackface by performer and playwright Thomas Dartmouth Rice. As part of Rice’s traveling act, he wore a burnt-cork blackface mask and raggedy clothing, spoke in stereotypical black slang and performed a song and dance routine that he said he learned from a slave. The song and dance routine would imitate a slave in an exaggerated and mocking way.
As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday on Monday January 20, 2020 we must remember in the words of Dr. King, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.” Although Beavers blackface picture was posted on his Facebook page and made public, if it affects one person, then it affects us all.
New Berlin, Illinois – Yesterday, on January 13, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.,several upset parents attended the New Berlin School Board meeting, which also had an officer on standby, in an attempt to have many questions answered. In an attempt to get their questions answered, they were only told, “its a personnel issue.”
This frustration comes after we released an article identifying New Berlin P.E. Teacher, Ryan O’Donnell, as the subject of a criminal investigation for sexual misconduct. (Click Here to read previous article – New Berlin High School P.E. Teacher under Criminal Investigation for Sexual Misconduct)
Springfield Leaks has obtained a video, which is below, that features a New Berlin Police Officer, along with School Board President, Bill Alexander hardly speaking with parents.
Joe Parga, who posted the video said the following, “So I had to sleep and pray on this cause I didn’t want to say anything out of anger and frustration.. But this video was taken after the board meeting last night. Me and Gretchen showed up as they were saying the pledge of allegiance so I wasn’t able to get on the paper to get my 5 min to speak because they conveniently made the meeting at 5pm making it difficult for people to show up…
So after the board discuss there issues I figured I’d wait till the end and then ask to speak and they told me I couldn’t I could talk via email… so I decided to go over and speak to the police officer on hand (he is the first guy speaking in the video) me and the officer hand a great conversation he was very helpful in the questions I asked him and I greatly appreciate it. So then one of the board members approached me and the officer and instantly played the buddy role with me and told me how I knew him and I could talk to him whenever I wanted to. For one I’ve never meant the guy he just knows me from football, so when I took his advice and talked to him about matters he then repeatedly told me “well I can’t talk about that” so basically he just interrupted the good conversation me and the officer had. I won’t mention the board members name because he wasn’t on the video. However!! As we are talking board president Bill Alexander approached us! He then began some bs about sorry you couldn’t speak we can talk via email… Which there was no reason he couldn’t let me speak at the end just to ask a couple questions l?
So he tells me the same that I can talk to him I began to ask him numerous questions about the situation going on by which he said “he couldn’t talk about it” or “ask mr. Ehrman” but he did say numerous times that the kids should report these instances when they happened (which they did multiple times over an 8 month span) he also said multiple times that he knew nothing about this matter which is a bold face lie him and the other member that approached me said the same thing but they both knew about this!
It wasn’t until I received a round of applause by the group of parents that was in attendance that I realized “dam I should record this” and that’s where the video starts by that time I was already fed up with mr. Alexander’s lack of accountability and saying he knew nothing and acting as if I was an idiot for bringing it to his attention. He repeatedly said its mr. Ehrman that needed to deal with it. Which I find it a lil odd that now he has taken another job?? My problem isn’t even with the president at that time I was more so pissed that this instance was reported over and 8 month span to the HS principal and other staff members and they just recently put the man on a paid leave of absence. So they covered it up months ago in hopes it didn’t happen again and it did over and over.
So that brings me to my questions and great conversation with the officer because by law “any public officials or staff members that fail to report any child abuse accusations is a class A misdemeanor punishable by fine or 1 year in jail 2nd offense is a class 4 felony”. Mr. Alexander says it needed to be reported and it was with his staff members not taking actions and that’s where I have a major issue those staff members are there to protect our kids not to just sweep it under the rug in hopes it will go away… The kids did report it and nothing was done to the guy until he was caught red handed in the girls locker room then they had to do something.. After 8 months of hoping it went away..
In my eyes and maybe in wrong the principle and staff members that was involved need to resign and charges should be filed against them!! But will that happen ?? Hell no because they are going to save each other’s ass!! And as a community we should demand more from the officials that are there to protect our kids! Now they will say “it’s under investigation “ and that may be true? But who is going to hold the staff accountable for not reporting it when it happened months ago?? They let it go so long what would’ve happened if this man would’ve done something more serious to the girls?? It would’ve directly been those staff members fault for not doing something sooner and that’s the problem!!! Now you have our administrator take a new job due to all the heat and is just allowed to walk away instead of being forced to resign because he knows they fucked up! If it was one of their kids it would’ve stop months ago and that’s why they should be held accountable!! Mr. Alexander lied in front of everyone in the room when he said he had no knowledge of what was going on and that’s our president of the board?! What a shame! They are the ones that need to be investigated and held accountable!
And to al the parents that stopped me afterwards to introduce themselves thank you for your support it’s nice to know that there are others out there just as concerned as we are.
P.S. the woman yelling at the end wasn’t Gretchen Whalen she somehow locked herself out of the building and missed it al!!😂😂😂“
There has been only one statement, which was made after our article was published, and that was by New Berlin School President, Alexander. In his statement, Alexander said the following, (Alexander’s Statement is in bold font)”
“As all professional media know, The District is not legally allowed to publicly discuss personnel matters.
We can, however, state that we always fully cooperate with investigations from legitimate outside agencies. We await the results of that investigation.
All of the District’s actions taken were of the highest level of precautionary measures allowed and in the interest of the safety and security of all our students. We are confident that the District’s precautionary measures have demonstrated we put the safety of our students first.”
Springfield Leaks has received additional information regarding the sexual misconduct investigation that is currently being investigated by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a source close to the investigation, a Sheriff’s Detective reached out to Ryan on December 30th, 2019. The Sheriff’s Detective did attempt to question Ryan about the incident, but Ryan declined to answer the Detective’s questions.
At this time, we have been told that this is an active and ongoing investigation, and nothing can be released at this time.
Stay tuned to Springfield Leaks for further updates.
Springfield, Illinois – The Springfield Fire Department responded to 710 S. St., around 5:46 a.m., on January 11, 2020 for a report of a fire.
When Springfield firefighters arrived on scene there was heavy smoke and fire coming from the residence. Inside the home, the fire department found the body of 24 year old, Abby Neisler. Also located in the home was a dog and two cats, who also died in the fire.
Investigators have confirmed that during the investigation for the cause of the fire, the house was intentionally set on fire.
Sangamon County Coroner Cinda Edwards released a statement saying, “The death of Abby Neisler, on 01/11/2020, is now being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary autopsy results indicate she was deceased before the fire due to injuries inflicted by another person. The nature of these injuries is not currently being released due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.”
The investigation is currently being handled by Springfield Police Detectives.
Stay tuned to Springfield Leaks for updates.
New Berlin, Illinois – According to a press release that was forwarded to Springfield Leaks, The New Berlin Education Association reports that a Special Board Meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow night (Monday, January 13, 2020) beginning at 5:00 PM.
“We assume this meeting will be held in the library of the New Berlin Elementary building,” according to the press release sent out 2 hours ago by the New Berlin Education Association.
According to the School Board agenda, the school board will be going into executive session to discuss “The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the District or legal counsel for the District, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee or against legal counsel for the District to determine it validity. [5 ILCS 120/2(c)]”
WHERE WILL THE BOARD MEETING TAKE PLACE AT: New Berlin Elementary Building, located at 600 Cedar St in New Berlin, IL. (Library)
TIME OF MEETING: 5:00 P.M.
Stay tuned for updates.