Category: CNN Regional

By WBBM

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A violent four-car crash killed a 76-year-old woman on the Tri-State. Some said the crash was no accident.

Police said the driver responsible had alcohol in his system and a long record of drunk driving, but he walked away with nothing more than a speeding ticket.

The view from CBS Skywatch following the crashshowed a crumpled heap of twisted metal. A car that belonged to 76-year-old Bernice Pawilan.

On June 7, 2024, the Wisconsin driver of a Ford 150 slammed into it at 78 miles per hour. Pawilan did not survive. Three other people were also hurt in that crash.

Neighbors said she lived pretty “off the grid,” but the Ingleside woman was remembered fondly by her coworkers at Lambs Farm, a non-profit that helps adults with developmental disabilities.

“We continue to feel the loss to this day. She was an energetic, warm woman who contributed greatly to our mission. We miss her very much.”

“Her life mattered, and he’s had all of this history,” said Sheila Lockwood.

Lockwood is a national ambassador for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She’s talking about the driver who caused the crash. He is not being named because he hasn’t been charged with a crime. But Lockwood and many others believe he should have been.

“And Bernice deserves all of us to be fighting for her and what’s right,” she said.

CBS News Chicago found that the Wisconsin driver had already been labeled a habitual traffic offender—after three drunk driving convictions in 2007 and 2008, plus two cases of trying to flee police. His license was revoked for five years.

Even after getting it back, the problems didn’t stop. He kept getting pulled over for inattentive driving.

In 2018, he crashed into another car while his three-year-old son was in the back seat.

So when he slammed into Pawilan’s car on I-294, he was driving under a strict restriction — his blood alcohol level could not be higher than 0.02.

When troopers arrived, he refused a DUI kit at the scene. He told police he’d had “less than 12 Busch Light beers” the night before.

Medical records showed his blood alcohol level was 0.076 after his blood was drawn at the hospital. Only after being told his license would be suspended for refusing the test did he suddenly “change his mind.”

Six hours after the crash, he took the official test. That one showed no alcohol in his system.

So how was he able to change his mind?

It was found that in Illinois, there is no legal time limit for when a driver has to take an alcohol test after a crash.

Other states draw a clear line. Iowa, Connecticut, and Colorado require testing within two hours of the incident. Wisconsin allows up to three. But in Illinois, there’s no deadline at all.

State police said they submitted the hospital blood draw, showing a blood alcohol level of 0.076, to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office when they asked for criminal charges, which were denied.

“You have the absolute right to refuse a breathalyzer test, period,” CBS Chicago Legal Analyst Irv Miller.

Miller said a driver can change his or her mind, but it would ultimately be up to a judge to decide whether to allow it.

“Some judges will say, ‘Wait, I’m not going to buy it. You said no, no is no.’ Other judges are going to say, ‘Wait a second. You know, you changed your mind? Fine. So you can keep your driver’s license.’ It, it’s a judicial one-by-one, depending on who the judge is, but it’s not a statutory requirement,” Miller said.

He said the driver being just four one-thousandths of a point below the legal limit makes all the difference. Legally, it means he was not considered under the influence.

But that’s not the whole story.

The driver still violated the strict blood-alcohol restriction on his license.

Here’s where this case gets even messier.

That violation should have triggered a license revocation, but it was found to have never happened.

A spokesperson for Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation said they were never made aware of the fatal crash.

“It is up to law enforcement and the convicting court in each state to determine what constitutes a violation of a license restriction and what citation is issued,” the spokesperson said.

But Illinois State Police said they don’t have the authority to revoke an out-of-state driver’s license.

So, despite a fatal crash, despite a documented alcohol restriction, and despite a history of dangerous driving, and despite the death of 78-year-old Bernice Pawilan, the driver walked away with a $356 fine.

Why even have these restrictions if there’s no way to follow up?

“Loophole after loophole,” Lockwood said. “Why is he still driving? And does he have children? And, you know, are they at risk? Everybody on the road is at risk.”

And there’s one more twist to the story.

At the time of the crash, the driver wasn’t supposed to be on the road at all. He worked for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and was scheduled to work remotely from home that day. He was fired as a result. Despite everything that was uncovered, he has continued to hold a valid driver’s license since the crash.

When asked why charges weren’t pursued in the crash or if they still could be considered, a spokesperson for the Cook County State’s Attorneys’ Office said that after a thorough review, “the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof to approve felony charges.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Liz Miller

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — The Illinois Attorney General’s office has charged a Chicago police officer with bribery and misconduct.

Officer Alain Dillon, 37, is accused of accepting multiple $500 payments in exchange for using his encrypted police radio.

Dillon has pleaded not guilty to three counts of bribery, each punishable by up to seven years in prison, and 15 counts of official misconduct, each punishable by up to five years in prison.

“Members of law enforcement are rightfully held to a higher standard, making it especially egregious when an officer breaks the law for their own financial gain,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a news release. “I will continue to partner with local law enforcement to hold accountable those who use their positions of authority to betray the public’s trust.”

The Chicago Police Department investigated the case with the Illinois Attorney General’s office.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Liz Nagy

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    ALHAMBRA, Calif. (KABC) — Hundreds of people packed the Alhambra City Council meeting Monday as residents demanded answers about a viral video that raised questions about possible cooperation between Alhambra police and U.S. Border Patrol agents.

Angie Vargas said last Monday she was following who she believed were federal immigration agents when an Alhambra police SUV abruptly cut her off.

In cellphone video recorded by Vargas, she can be heard asking police if they were cooperating with the federal agents.

After a brief exchange with Alhambra officers, masked federal agents approached Vargas and questioned her.

“What country are you a citizen of?” one agent is heard asking Vargas in the video.

Vargas responded she is a U.S. citizen.

As the video spread across social media, Alhambra police issued a statement addressing the encounter.

“… Our officers responded to a call for service regarding a vehicle being followed by another vehicle that was running red lights and making illegal U-turns… Officers parked their vehicle in between both parties to help with de-escalating the situation,” the statement released last week said.

“Officers assisted with keeping the peace and confirmed no immigration enforcement was taking place at the scene. Shortly after PD arrival, both parties went their separate ways.”

Vargas’ footage of the interaction sparked strong reactions online and set the stage for a fiery council meeting, with some residents accusing local police of aiding Border Patrol agents.

Protesters flooded the council chambers, hallway and lobby of Alhambra City Hall in support of Vargas and to criticize federal immigration enforcement activity in the city.

“I was appalled and disgusted to see the video of Angie Vargas being pulled over. Her constitutional rights being violated and then being lied to by several members of the Alhambra Police Department,” one speaker said during the public comment period.

Luis Carrillo, Vargas’ attorney, called for an internal affairs investigation.

Mayor Jeff Maloney attempted to calm the crowd, promising the incident is subject to review and noting that no arrests were made.

“Fortunately, after less than five minutes the situation ended and people went on their way,” Maloney said at the meeting.

The explanation did little to ease tensions.

At one point during the meeting, residents began to chant “shame.”

“This is enough. My people need to be heard,” Vargas said outside City Hall. “We need to be protected, and they need to protect our community members and not these federal agents.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Carley Gomez

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    STUDIO CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A homeowner opened fire on burglary suspects Tuesday morning in Studio City, prompting the alleged intruders to flee, authorities said.

The confrontation occurred at 4:40 a.m. at a multi-level house in the 11600 block of Laurelcrest Drive, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said. The home is in a hilltop neighborhood between Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards.

Whether any of the alleged intruders were struck by gunfire was unclear. Described only as two males in gray hoodies, they fled the scene in a black Chevy Traverse SUV, according to the LAPD.

Officers responded to the scene and were investigating whether anything was stolen.

A homeowner opened fire on burglary suspects Tuesday morning in Studio City, prompting the alleged intruders to flee, authorities said.

The confrontation occurred at 4:40 a.m. at a multi-level house in the 11600 block of Laurelcrest Drive, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said. The home is in a hilltop neighborhood between Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards.

Whether any of the alleged intruders were struck by gunfire was unclear. Described only as two males in gray hoodies, they fled the scene in a black Chevy Traverse SUV, according to the LAPD.

Officers responded to the scene and were investigating whether anything was stolen.

Neighbors alarmed Diana, who lives across from the home, spoke with Eyewitness News and said she was awakened by the sound of a running car and alerted her husband, who went outside to investigate.

“He came back out, got very close to them, took a picture of their plate, the back end of the car, and still, that didn’t seem to change anything,” she said.

Moments later, Diana said she heard a gunshot followed by the sound of people running.

“[They] get into the car, car door slams, the alarm went off on the house at that point, and the car just sped off,” she said.

Diana said she called 911 and was able to identify the vehicle involved but could not describe the suspects. Some residents said the incident underscores growing concerns about neighborhood crime.

“This city has gotten so dangerous as you know, if you live here. Crime is out of control,” neighbor Dave White said.

Others said they were surprised by the boldness of the suspects, especially with people awake in nearby homes.

Neighbor Jaimie Joseph said that the situation highlights the need for more community involvement.

“It could happen wherever you move, so it really just makes me think of, like, you know, what’s happening? Maybe there needs to be more that we do like in the neighborhood watch,” she said.

Despite living in what she described as a peaceful area, Diana said the incident highlights a vulnerability.

“Quiet neighborhood, but sometimes that is not a good thing,” she said.

Meantime, police said the homeowner was not injured.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By KABC Staff

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    FULLERTON, Calif. (KABC) — A mother has been arrested after her 19-month-old child tumbled out of her SUV while she was driving in Fullerton, according to police.

Shocking video shows the moment the child fell from the vehicle.

The video shows the SUV making a left turn at the intersection of N. Euclid Street and W. Malvern Avenue. That’s when the front passenger door opens, and the toddler falls to the ground.

The SUV immediately stopped, nearly causing a crash with the car behind it, according to Fullerton police.

The video then shows a woman get out of the driver’s side of the SUV and pick up the child before she gets back into the vehicle and drives away.

According to Fullerton police, a witness came forward on Jan. 24, reported seeing the incident on Jan. 20, and was able to provide identifying information related to the vehicle involved.

Investigators later located the vehicle, the child and the woman involved at a residence in La Habra. Jacqueline Marie Hernandez, 35, was taken into custody on suspicion of child abuse.

Police said the 19-month-old child sustained injuries consistent with the fall and was taken to an area hospital for treatment. The toddler is expected to make a full recovery.

The incident remains under investigation.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Kaitlyn Hart

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    WEST JORDAN, Utah (eastidahonews.com) — Four missing children out of West Valley City have been found in Dubrovnik, Croatia, according to the family.

Jill Seymour, aunt to three of the missing children, says the family was alerted by the FBI on Friday that the missing children, who authorities say were taken illegally to Europe by their mother, were found at a children’s center, similar to a foster home, in Croatia.

Elleshia Seymour, 35, disappeared with her children — Landon Hal Seymour, 11; Levi Parker Seymour, 8; Hazel Rae Seymour, 7; and Jacob Kurt Brady, 3 — following an extended visit with them over the Thanksgiving holiday, according to West Jordan police. They were later seen on surveillance video at Salt Lake City International Airport boarding a plane for Europe.

Before the alleged kidnapping, Seymour, who shared joint custody of three of the children with her ex-husband, Kendall Seymour, had posted increasingly extreme religious messages on her TikTok account, some titled “Urgent Word,” “Brace Yourself,” “Zombies,” and “US Decimated.” She spoke of darkness consuming America, urged followers to “get provisions,” and warned that Salt Lake City would soon be destroyed.

Jill spoke with EastIdahoNews.com on Monday, just up the hill from where the children are being kept in a children’s center. She says she, Kendall, and Kendall’s fiancée, Heather, flew to Croatia as soon as possible, arriving last Sunday afternoon, Jan. 17.

“We are able to see the children for a whole two hours a day. I wouldn’t say they’re OK,” Jill says. “They are, of course, safe. They are eating. They have somewhere to sleep. They are together, which is huge, they’re out of physical harm’s way, but I wouldn’t say they’re OK by any means.”

Jill says they have learned what occurred between when Elleshia took the children from Utah on a one-way flight to Europe.

According to Jill, Elleshia had met an unidentified woman living in Croatia over TikTok, and had planned to bring the children to live with her and the woman’s 13-year-old son, which they did for nearly two months.

The woman reportedly did not know that Elleshia did not have full custody of her children. The woman’s son, who has not been named, reportedly discovered the children had been kidnapped, and sent news articles about it to his mother.

“He is hugely instrumental in us locating the kids. He had a cell phone, and Googled Levi’s name, and that’s how he found all of the news articles,” Jill says. “That’s where he learned the kids were kidnapped.”

The boy reportedly showed his mother and Elleshia the news articles, prompting the mother to pack Elleshia’s things and drive her to the police station.

“From what it sounds like, allegedly a fight broke out, a verbal disagreement broke out between the two women and they were actually both arrested outside of the police department,” Jill says. “The 13-year-old is now in the children’s center with them.”

Further detail about Elleshia’s arrest is unknown.

“Croatia is pretty tight-lipped when somebody is going through this process. They don’t have any arrest records that (are) released to the public like we do in the States,” Jill says. “From what we’ve heard from locals … she’s in some type of a holding center, like a holding cell. She’s not in actual jail yet, until she has a court date.”

Jill says they believe the woman had similar religious beliefs to Elleshia, and found her through her social media videos, warning others about the apocalypse.

After the Seymour family made it to Croatia, they learned more about the children’s whereabouts since they were reported missing on Dec. 2.

“We learned that they did in fact fly to Amsterdam, then they flew to Italy, and from there it’s kind of fuzzy coming from the children,” Jill says. “We think that they then flew to Split, Croatia, and they’ve been on a lot of boats, taking ferries to different islands, different places. The kids can’t even count how many ferries and buses and things they’ve been on.”

Speaking more with the children, Jill says they learned about what their mother had told them about why they suddenly had to leave the United States.

Seven-year-old Hazel reportedly told her family that her mother had told them that “America is a bad place and we weren’t safe anymore, so we had to get out of there.”

“I said, ‘What do you believe, Hazel?’ and she said, ‘I don’t think that’s true,’” Jill says. “So that’s just a relief that they didn’t think any of these things she was telling them are true. She was telling them that Utah was going to be destroyed, that all of America was going to be destroyed and that basically, an apocalypse was coming. But they are very intelligent children, and they knew that was not possible.”

Jill says the struggle now is getting the children home to the United States. Between language barriers, tight-lipped law enforcement officials and little knowledge of Croatian child-custody laws, the family says the process has already been longer than they anticipated.

“This country operates very differently than America as far as quickness and how documents are turned in. There is no e-filing — it doesn’t exist. You’re not emailing documents back and forth — you’re turning them in by hand, in print and copies,” Jill says. “We’ve had to get everything translated into Croatian so all of the documents we have from the States have needed to get translated.”

Jill says the next step in the process is to hear back from a Utah judge, get it translated, and keep working through the legal process.

“We are waiting for an amended document to get signed by a judge today in Utah, then we will get that translated and turned back into the authorities here, and crossing our fingers that is enough,” Jill says. “Once the (Croatian) police department has concluded their investigation and decides that all of these documents are legitimate, the children’s center has custody of the children right now, and it will be up to (them) to hand over custody back to Kendall.”

The conditions of the children’s center where the children are staying are “abysmal” according to Jill, who says she found black mold in a hallway, and children being unattended.

“It’s not anywhere you would want your kids to be living as far as the quality of care, or lack there of that they’re receiving,” Jill says. “They pretty much do what they want unless it’s mealtime, they’re gathered to eat. Other than that, they’re pretty much left alone, including 3-year-old Jacob, which is pretty alarming. So yes, they’re found, but this is long from over.”

One of the biggest concerns is the language barrier between the kids and their caregivers.

“A large concern for the kids is they can’t use their words, so emotions are overriding. You’re not heard until you’re crying and screaming,” Jill says. “It’s going to be a lot of undoing, a lot of therapy.”

A GoFundMe has been organized to help with travel costs for the family to and from Croatia, medical costs, food and lodging, therapy, and other necessities the family and children will require.

As for now, Jill says they are meticulously seeing the children everyday for as long as they are allowed, and hoping the process will be quick to return home with them.

“It’s very bittersweet. It’s very difficult for all the children to say goodbye every single day. They do understand that we’re coming back the next day, but the in-between time is so difficult,” Jill says. “And to go from seeing your dad and having to say goodbye every day, and then really not knowing what the next 12 to 15 hours is going to bring you.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.