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Two charged, two others in custody in Signal Hill armed carjacking

Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008

Two charged, two others in custody in Signal Hill armed carjacking

BY JACQUELINE LEE - News-Democrat

Two East St. Louis men, a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old, were charged Wednesday in connection with an armed carjacking Sunday that ended in a car crash, injuring two people.

The carjacking occurred about 6:30 p.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Signal Hill Boulevard in unincorporated Belleville.

Dominique M. Carraway, 17, of 7005 Evergreen Court, was charged with felony aggravated vehicular hijacking, armed robbery and unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle, Capt. Steven Johnson of the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.

Kerion L. Edwards, Dominique M. Carraway - Provided to BND

Carraway is being held at the St. Clair County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Teenager is jailed in armed carjacking near Belleville

BY JACQUELINE LEE - News-Democrat

St. Clair County sheriff's deputies have taken a 17-year-old Centreville teen into custody, and are interviewing a second suspect in an armed carjacking Sunday that ended in a car crash, injuring two people.

Deputies, who are also looking for at least two other suspects, did not release the name of the teenager, pending charges. He is being held at the county jail and investigators plan to apply for charges today, Capt. Steven Johnson said in a news release.

The carjacking occurred about 6:30 p.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Signal Hill Boulevard in unincorporated Belleville.

"Using technology and good old fashion police work the suspect was arrested, interviewed and an item taken in the carjacking was recovered," Johnson stated.

The victim, a Belleville resident, told police that he was leaving his girlfriend's house when three or four men -- armed with a semi-automatic pistol and possibly a long rifle or shotgun -- ordered him out of his 2005 Ford Escape. They took a small amount of cash and personal items from him, and drove away in the vehicle.

The victim described the main suspect as 17-24 years old and about 5-foot-8, Johnson said. He had a small, silver semi-automatic pistol, and was wearing a dark hoodie and a dark-colored bandanna on his face. The second suspect had an unknown gun with a small barrel with a wooden stock. The third suspect wore a red or orange hoodie that had black markings on it. There may have been a fourth suspect.

The suspects ran away before police arrived after they crashed the stolen vehicle into another vehicle at Lake Drive at Illinois 157 in Centreville. The driver and a passenger of the vehicle that was hit were taken to an area hospital.

Anyone with information is asked to call the St. Louis Area CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477 (TIPS), which is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the suspects' arrests, or the Sheriff's Department at 277-3505.

Armed Carjacking Suspects from Signal Hill Boulevard

Victims Injured during vehicle crash

On 11-23-08 at 6:30 PM Deputies were dispatched to a carjacking which occurred on the 100 block of Signal Hill Blvd in unincorporated Belleville. Deputies arrived within six minutes and spoke to the 17 year old victim and his girlfriend. The victim stated he was leaving his girlfriend’s house and started his car up because it was cold. The victim lives in Belleville. He was sitting in it when three subjects (and possibly a fourth) walked up to him. They all had hoods over their heads and bandanas around their faces. One subject pointed a silver semi-automatic pistol at him and ordered him out of the car. The second subject had a long rifle or shotgun. He lay on the ground as directed and they stole a small amount of cash and other personal items from him. They then drove away in his vehicle (2005 Ford Escape) very fast.

During the carjacking the victim believed the men were black males. They also continually yelled orders at him, using derogatory words which usually are directed at African Americans (the “N” word). The subjects’ descriptions are:

1. Main suspect (with handgun) – dark hoodie, approximately 17 to 24 y/o, dark colored bandana (maybe blue or black) on face, roughly about his height – 5’8 or 5’9, Gun – small, silver automatic

2. Second suspect (rifle/shotgun/bb gun) – unknown gun – small barrel with a wooden stock

3. Third suspect – bright colored hoodie (red or orange) some kind of black marks on it (stars?)

4. Possible fourth suspect unknown.

While the Deputies were responding to the carjacking scene a traffic crash with injuries occurred on Lake Drive at Route 157, Centreville. The vehicle which had been carjacked caused the crash and ran into another vehicle. The driver and a passenger in the other vehicle were injured and were transported to a local hospital.

Deputies and Centreville Police responded to the traffic crash scene but the suspects ran away prior to their arrival. An ISPERN broadcast was sent and numerous law enforcement agencies searched the area.

During the search Centreville Police and E. St. Louis Police arrested 10 subjects near Marybelle Avenue and 73^rd Street. A handgun and shotgun were discovered in their possession. Investigators from the Sheriff’s Department were called in and interviewed the 10 subjects throughout the night. At this time their involvement in the carjacking is undetermined.

While investigating the incident an abandoned stolen vehicle (Silver 2003 Pontiac Grand Am) was located on Powder Creek Road just south of Foley Drive. This was in close proximity to the carjacking. The vehicle had extensive front end damage and the ignition was punched. The vehicle had been reported stolen from Centreville on 11-22-08 at 11:00 PM to Centreville Police. During a canvas of the neighborhood a neighbor had seen several subjects walking in the area with hoods over their heads and didn’t think anything of it.

The carjacked vehicle and the recovered stolen vehicle are both being processed by Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services and several items of evidence are being turned over to the Crime Lab for analysis. The Metro East Auto Theft Task Force and Investigators from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department are co-working the investigation.

Anyone who has any information about possible suspects is asked to call Inv. Mike Hundelt at 618-277-3505 x5716 or the St. Louis Area Crime Stoppers at 866-371-8477 (TIPS). If Crime Stoppers is called up to a $1,000.00 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of suspects.

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Captain Steve Johnson

Chief Investigator

Criminal Investigation Section

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department

618-277-3505 x5715

Disabled man robbed at E. St. Louis Metro platform, Suspect charged with ROBBERY

PRESS RELEASE

November 20^th, 2008

Disabled man robbed at E. St. Louis Metro platform,

Suspect charged with ROBBERY

On 11-12-08 at 8:00 AM a robbery was reported to Dep. Bret Freeman, who is assigned to the Sheriff’s Metro Patrol. The victim, a 56 year old disabled military veteran from E. St. Louis, stated at about 1:00 AM in the same morning he was robbed at the Emerson Metro platform in E. St. Louis. He had missed the last train and was sitting on the concrete at the end of the ramp. He walks with a cane so he needed rest. Two black male subjects approached him and one subject punched him on the right side of his face. The second subject assisted the first subject. The first subject went through the victim’s pockets and stole his cellular telephone. The victim did not immediately report the robbery and took a taxi home. The victim had injuries to his face which did not require medical attention.

Sheriff’s Metro Deputies immediately began investigating the robbery. Video from the platform cameras was saved and watched for suspects. A security guard who was working in the area at the time of the robbery was interviewed. She stated prior to the robbery she saw two subjects matching the description of the robbery suspects on the platform. The robbery case was also assigned to Investigator Matthew Dobler.

On 11-17-08 at 3:45 PM the security guard contacted Sheriff’s Metro Patrol Deputies Steve Jones and Rob Davenport. She stated she had just seen the two suspects from the robbery board a westbound train from Emerson. The Deputies were able to catch up with the two suspects and detain them. Inv. Dobler responded and conducted line ups with the security guard and the victim, pictures from the Metro security cameras were compared and both suspects were interviewed.

Subsequent to the total investigation one subject was charged on 11-19-08 by the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office with one count of ROBBERY, a class 1 criminal felony. The count was enhanced because the victim was physically handicapped. The suspect is currently detained in the St. Clair County Jail on a $100,000.00 bond. The second subject was released but the investigation is on going.

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Captain Steve Johnson

Chief Investigator

Criminal Investigation Section

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department

618-277-3505 x5715

8 year old attacked by Pit Bull Dog

PRESS RELEASE

November 12^th, 2008

8 year old attacked by Pit Bull Dog

On 11-11-08 at about 4:50 PM an American Pit Bull Dog, who was not on a lease, attacked a neighbor’s child. The 8 year old child, who was playing in his own yard, suffered numerous severe bite marks to the head, eye and back of the neck. The child was taken to a local hospital. The owner of the dog stated he walked his dog outside and went back into the house for just a minute to attend to another dog.

A Deputy responded and initially took a report. It should be noted the St. Clair County Animal Control Services (which is a different agency from the Sheriff’s Department) was closed for the holiday. The Sheriff’s Department has no ability or authority to call them out when they are off.

Today, Deputy Tom Peters, from the Sheriff’s Department, investigated the case and as a result of it:

Jesse D. Sellers (dob 03-22-66)

612 Chartrand Rd.

East Carondelet, IL 62240

was charged under a St. Clair County ordinance violation for “failing to contain a dangerous dog with a leash.” Due to it being an ordinance violation (non-arrestable) he was given a court date of 12-31-08.

Dep. Peters also coordinated today with Sellers and Animal Control to ensure the dog was quarantined at Animal Control’s kennels. Sellers was cooperative and apologetic about the incident.

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Captain Steve Johnson

Chief Investigator

Criminal Investigation Section

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department

St. Clair County man charged with his seventh DUI in a year

BY GEORGE PAWLACZYK - News-Democrat

MILLSTADT -- Matthew B. Roth was charged Thursday with his seventh DUI since last year following an accident that occurred after several motorists had to drive off the road to avoid being hit, police said.

Roth, 48, is being held in the St. Clair County Jail following his arrest at 8:50 p.m. just outside Millstadt near Illinois 158 and Douglas St. According to the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, Roth is being held on a misdemeanor drunk driving charge while an application for a felony DUI charge is being processed.

In May, after several News-Democrat articles concerning how Roth managed to be arrested multiple times for DUI and still keep his driving privleges, Roth was arrested at a Veteran's Administration Hospital in St. Louis and held on $100,000 bail. He was released in August after serving 77 days. His felony charge from that arrest is still pending.

Roth has four DUI convictions in Missouri.

When Roth failed to show up in court on the May charge, Sheriff's Department Capt. Steve Johnson and other investigators staked out Roth's girlfriend's home in Freeburg. The officers eventually learned that Roth, a former Marine, had fled to the hospital and checked himself in.

Murder/Suicide in rural Waterloo

On 11-02-08 at 8:35 PM a cellular 9-1-1 call came into the Monroe County Dispatch Center about a shooting at 4567 Orlet Road, unincorporated Waterloo. A female called and said her friend had been shot by her friend’s husband. The female drove to a nearby neighbor’s house and waited for police. St. Clair County Sheriff’s Deputies, Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy, Illinois State Police and Waterloo Police all responded to the residence. Upon their arrival they could see two bodies, a male and a female, lying inside the residence near the front door. The residence was locked and Deputies had to secure the perimeter then force entry through a kitchen window. Once inside they discovered the male and female were both obviously deceased. Monroe County EMS was on scene and confirmed this.

The female friend told Investigators she went with: Joan M. Scharf, w/f, 41 years old, same address to her residence to pick up a book bag for her children. She had been separated from her husband and they were going through a divorce. She had been living somewhere else with the children. Joan Scharf drove her vehicle with the female friend in the passenger seat. Joan Scharf entered her residence through the front door and the female friend heard a loud noise she thought was a door slamming. She continued to sit in the vehicle and then saw the husband: Brian K. Scharf, w/m, 41 years old, same address. Brian Scharf walked out of the front door and walked towards the car. Brian Scharf told her he just shot Joan and she better leave. She looked down and saw him holding a large black revolver. She slid over to the driver’s seat and put the car in reverse to drive away and called 9-1-1.

Investigators from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois State Police Crime Scene and St. Clair County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene. The following information was discovered:

• Joan Scharf died of multiple gun shots to the head inflicted by Brian Scharf.
• Brian Scharf then shot himself in the head and died at the scene.
• Brian Scharf was still holding a black .357 revolver in his hand. The gun had several spent shells and several live bullets.
• Joan Scharf was still holding the child’s book bag.
• Joan and Brian were in the middle of a separation.
• There had been no previous police calls at this residence or reported domestic abuse. Neither had ever been charged with a crime in St. Clair County.
• The three children of the Scharf’s were with the female friend’s husband at the time of the shooting.
• The children are currently with relatives.
• About 50 rifles and pistols were secured from the residence by Sheriff’s Investigators.
• The investigation is ongoing.

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Captain Steve Johnson

Chief Investigator

Criminal Investigation Section

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department

618-277-3505 x5715