Illinois

Richie Swanson can’t believe his eyes. The sloughs and forests of Aghaming Park, havens for ice-fishing and bird-watching, are scarred with toppled trees and knee-deep tire ruts. A gate to the park lies crumpled, knocked off its hinges by a vehicle.

Off-road motorists threaten an increasingly rare forest that shelters endangered birds in the 1,900-acre park, across the Mississippi River from Winona in the Wisconsin bottomlands, says Swanson, a member of Mississippi River Revival and an advocate for preserving Aghaming Park. And as the degradation gets worse — Swanson said vehicle damage “took a quantum leap” this winter — few public officials seem willing or able to do much about it.

“Driving doesn’t belong here anymore,” Swanson said. “But vehicles are allowed in here. What do you expect?”

Maggie Borman

HARDIN - A Calhoun County man has been sentenced to 30 months of probation and a 90-day stretch in jail for attacking a Jersevyille man with a shovel in June 2007.

Rodney D. Gress, 43, of rural Hardin was found guilty at the end of a jury trial Jan. 30. He was sentenced Tuesday by Schuyler County Judge Scott Butler.

Gress was found guilty of aggravated battery, accused of using a shovel to strike an ATV rider passing his rural home. The incident arose when Gress had complained to police about four-wheelers speeding past his home for several hours.

Authorities who patrol the Old Plank Road Trail are seeking help from residents in hopes of curbing the trail's nearly decade long problem with unauthorized snowmobiling and late night trespassing.

The 21-mile trail located along the abandoned Michigan Central Rail Road stretches from New Lenox to Park Forest and has been a popular spot for bikers and hikers since it opened in 1997. However, residents who live near the trail say they've spotted bicyclists on the path at 3 a.m., unauthorized off-road vehicles and even fistfights.

In an effort to combat those problems and find solutions, the New Lenox Police Department, Forest Preserve District of Will County and Will County Sheriff's Office hosted a 75-minute open forum in New Lenox Thursday, Dec. 4.

ROCKFORD — A 23-year-old Rockford man was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison Monday stemming from his role in a fatal all-terrain vehicle crash in October 2007.

According to the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office, Felipe Gelacio was found guilty of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol after he admitted to drinking a large amount of beer and driving his ATV to Searls Park with passenger Beverly Gorrell, 19, of Machesney Park.

Gelacio struck a tree, and Gorrell was thrown from the vehicle. She died of head injuries at the scene.

Authorities are investigating vandalism at the eastern Franklin County location where a new coal mine is under construction.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department was called to the area off 11351 North Thompsonville Road Monday morning by officials of M Class Mining, who are building the Sugar Camp No. 1 mine.

Investigator John Graskewicz said it appeared that several 4-wheelers had come onto the property from its western boundary and damaged approximately 80 yards of fencing. He said damage was estimated at $1,000.

MORRIS-- The teen driving an ATV that hit a Morris police squad car and resulted in the death of a 19-year-old college-bound man is indicted for reckless homicide.

Steffen Durkee, 19, of Morris, was indicted with aggravated driving under the influence, reckless homicide, aggravated reckless driving and driving while license suspended, said Sheldon Sobol, Grundy County state's attorney.

Dennis Roden, of Morris, was Durkee's passenger on the all-terrain vehicle when it crashed with the patrol car Aug. 16. The ATV pulled out in front of a squad car driven by patrolman Steve Huettemann, according to a State Police report on the crash. The police car struck the ATV just after midnight after coming out of a break in the fencing of Evergreen Cemetery on Cemetery Road.

All-terrain vehicle riders in Amboy have less than 60 days to clean up their act.

Members of the City Council decided Monday to vote ATVs off the streets, possibly as soon as next month, unless riders change their ways.

Although a 2002 ordinance allowed ATVs (often called four-wheelers) to be driven on some of the city's roads, drivers must be headed out of or entering the city limits.

CHICAGO -- As he gears up for spring planting, farmer Dennis Mueller has taken on another duty -- patrolling his property on weekends to spot riders of all-terrain vehicles who plow up his ground.

"They're not easy to catch, but if we can figure out their ... behavior patterns, we'll have a chance," said the Will County farmer.