SALINE CO.— An Eldorado man with a pending manufacture/delivery of cannabis case after a meltdown at the Harrisburg McDonald’s last year is now accused of running from police carrying a bundle of weed.
Authorities say that on August 5, William (Billy) Michael (also known as Mikey) Cummins, 27, of 502 Briddick St., Eldorado, was the driver of a motor vehicle on U.S. Rte. 45 in Eldorado when officer James Williams activated his lights and siren, directing him to stop.
Police say that Cummins willfully failed or refused to obey Williams, increasing his speed and fleeing from officer Williams, reaching speeds in excess of 21 mph above the posted speed limit.
Once stopped it became apparent why Cummins might feel a need to run from police.
In addition to Aggravated Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police, Cummins was found to have on his person 100-500 grams of cannabis, earning himself a felony charge of Unlawful Possession of Cannabis.
At the time of his arrest Cummins was out on bond in a pending case from a November 10, 2015 bust on the parking lot of Harrisburg’s McDonald’s. That was when he pulled up in his expensive 2006 Hummer H3 and caught the attention of Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) conservation officer Charles Diggins, who knew Cummins to have a failure to appear warrant on a speeding ticket out of Williamson County.
When Cummins stopped and was apprehended, his vehicle was searched and court documents show that $11,052 was found in the center console of it. As well, authorities found a .40-cal pistol and 252 grams of suspected cannabis, along with hydrocodone with no evidence of a prescription for it accompanying, and “materials to package and deliver the cannabis.”
Cummins was charged with felony Cannabis Delivery, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm counts and was jailed.
Despite the expensive ride and the $11K in the console, Cummins claimed on his court documents that he had no job and no visible means of support.
On Nov. 20, 2015 Saline County Assistant State’s Attorney Jason Olson filed a complaint for forfeiture, using Illinois’ Drug Asset Forfeiture Procedure Act.
Under this filing, Olson noted that the Hummer and the vast sum of cash was seized by the IDNR, claiming that prior to the seizure, the property “was used in the commission of the offenses” that Cummins was charged with.
That case is still slogging through Saline County Circuit Court.
Cummins is no stranger to the legal system, as he earned himself a prison sentence of eight years when he was convicted July 28, 2009 on one count of Unlawful Possession of a Narcotic While Near a School/Park.
It addition to the prison time, Cummins was ordered to pay $666.80 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $35.
No bond information was available in the case.
Sloan Street doper charged again
In unrelated stories, a Harrisburg meth convict is facing another felony count filed just days after she was sentenced.
According to information filed in the case, on May 26, Carolyn S. Kasper, 50, of 303 West Sloan St., Harrisburg, committed the offense of Retail Theft after authorities say she walked out of the local Walmart, located at 710 South Commercial St., Harrisburg, with an undetermined amount of merchandise without bothering to pay for it.
As that case was making its way through the court system, Kasper was convicted of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine on July 19 and sentenced to probation for 30 months and ordered to pay $4,999 in fines and fees, of which she has paid nothing.
Kasper was taken into custody on or about on July 22, after she was found to have on her person a quantity of hydrocodone without the benefit of a prescription, which earned her an additional felony charge of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.
Bond information was not available in the case.
Pills
And Kourtney Sue Phillips, 20, of 975 Goshen Trail Rd., Eldorado, has been charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance after authorities say on August 9 she was found to have on her person a substance containing alprazolam.
She was arrested and posted bond on Aug. 24.