Capitol Information Illinois illustration by Jerry Nowicki
The pursuit coverage of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Workplace outlines the circumstances wherein deputies are directed to not pursue fleeing autos. Highlights added.
Because the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Workplace led a multi-county pursuit final month that ended within the demise of a 43-year-old Kansas man, Illinois State Police directed troopers to not take part.
A Sangamon County Sheriff’s Workplace information launch issued per week after Kirtis Shane Davenport’s demise acknowledged “varied different regulation enforcement businesses” assisted, however ISP confirmed they didn’t take part, citing the company’s pursuit coverage.
“At no time was ISP concerned within the pursuit that began in Sangamon County on September 22, 2024,” an ISP spokesperson mentioned in response to written questions.
The ISP’s pursuit coverage states {that a} trooper is to not provoke or grow to be concerned in pursuits for visitors offenses, non-violent property crimes, whether or not felony or misdemeanor, or when the suspect flees for unknown causes.
“Realizing this coverage, troopers didn’t search to grow to be concerned within the pursuit. As a precaution, troopers have been reminded over the radio that permission was NOT granted to get entangled within the pursuit,” based on the assertion.
The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Workplace coverage additionally states that deputies shouldn’t pursue based mostly solely on those self same standards. Sheriff Paula Crouch – who was named sheriff simply 4 days previous to the incident – declined to touch upon whether or not the truck was being pursued for different causes, citing an ongoing investigation.
Capitol Information Illinois is suing Sangamon County and its 911 dispatch heart for what the information outlet believes to be an improper denial of its request for data of the pursuit.
Simply earlier than midnight on Sept. 22, the sheriff’s division responded to an alarm at Corridor’s Cycles close to Springfield. The enterprise proprietor reported a number of bikes had been stolen. A witness offered an outline of a white Dodge Ram pickup truck that had been parked exterior on the time of the break-in. Two hours later, deputies noticed a truck matching that description with a bike within the mattress and tried to drag the car over. When the motive force refused to cease, they gave chase.
Although the velocity, route and length of the pursuit has not been launched, Sangamon County has acknowledged the pursuit went south on Interstate 55 from Sangamon County via Macoupin and Montgomery counties earlier than ending exterior of Staunton when pursuing deputies discovered Davenport mendacity subsequent to the highway. He was airlifted to St. Louis College Hospital the place he succumbed to his accidents.
Initially, sources acknowledged Davenport was present in Madison County, however within the space the place Davenport was discovered 4 counties’ borders are inside a mile of one another – Madison, Macoupin, Bond and Montgomery.
After it was decided that Davenport wouldn’t survive, Sangamon County contacted the ISP to research the pursuit as an officer-involved demise. In an announcement to Capitol Information Illinois denying a request for data associated to the pursuit, ISP acknowledged it’s actively investigating and awaiting reviews.
“Interviews with concerned officers are nonetheless pending,” based on the ISP’s assertion denying a Freedom of Info Act request in search of data relating to the pursuit.
As well as, police are nonetheless making an attempt to find the motive force of the Dodge Ram, which was reported stolen out of Kansas. The deserted truck was found on Sept. 23 in Livingston – about six miles from the place Davenport was discovered.
“As soon as the preliminary investigation has been accomplished, the case file have to be submitted to the Montgomery County State’s Lawyer for evaluate,” ISP’s FOIA denial acknowledged.
The Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy who engaged within the pursuit and the sergeant who licensed it stay on administrative depart pending the result of the investigation.
His fiancé, Cori Shanks, mentioned she final noticed Davenport at about 4 p.m. on Sept. 22 in her yard in Kansas Metropolis. A couple of hours later and greater than 300 miles away, the alarm would sound on the Springfield bike seller.
Shanks mentioned she obtained a textual content from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Workplace the subsequent day, asking her to name them about Davenport. She feared he was again in jail – he had a felony document – however was advised it was a lot worse. She was advised that her fiancé was in a St. Louis hospital within the intensive care unit.
Docs mentioned Davenport, the daddy of three, had a catastrophic mind damage, a punctured lung and a devasting cervical backbone damage.
“There was no mind exercise, nothing. So, the youngsters went to the hospital to say their goodbyes,” she mentioned.
Davenport had some earlier scrapes with the regulation, even serving a while in jail, however Shanks mentioned he was well-loved by those that knew him and tried to see the very best in everybody.
“Typically that was a curse, as a result of folks would say they have been his buddies they usually have been simply utilizing him,” she mentioned.
Shanks nonetheless doesn’t understand how Davenport wound up on the facet of a rustic highway in Illinois, a whole bunch of miles from Kansas Metropolis, Kansas the place he lived with Shanks.
“They aren’t telling us something. That’s the toughest half,” Shanks mentioned. “It simply doesn’t make any sense.”
