Bond has been set at $2-million dollars for a Janesville, Wisconsin man accused of damaging vehicles as they traveled along Interstate 74 in Champaign County. Kevin Casey is facing preliminary charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Battery to a Child and Criminal Damage to Property in a series of incidents in which vehicles were hit by projectiles which damaged windows and caused injuries to passengers from broken glass.
Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz told Judge Roger Webber the investigation began March 30th when Illinois State Police received reports of vehicles being damaged while traveling along Interstate 74. Troopers located a 10 mm ball bearing in one of the vehicles. Since that time troopers received multiple reports from Vermilion, Champaign, Piatt, and Dewitt counties. Investigators were able to determine a pattern to the incidents, with most occurring on Wednesdays or Fridays, most involving minivans, and with the Wednesday victims traveling westbound and the Friday victims traveling eastbound.
Rietz cited three specific incidents occurring on May 8th, 11th, and 18th. In the May 8th incident a child was injured by flying glass. In the May 11th incident an adult passenger was injured and a witness reported seeing a white semi-truck passing at the time the window exploded. In the May 8th and 18th incidents, Illinois State Police located video of the incident from IDOT, Illinois State Police and local business cameras that showed a white semi truck passing the victim’s vehicle at the time of the incident. Investigators were able to retrieve a plate number from that video, and determined that the truck belonged to the defendant, according to Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz. It was also determined that Casey was the sold driver of the truck, and that his route took him through Champaign County on Interstate 74.
Based on that information, Illinois State Police obtained search warrants for phone records and for the truck with the assistance of the Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office.
On June 1st, State Police Investigators conducted a detail in an attempt to locate Casey and the semi. The troopers saw a semi travel westbound on Interstate 74 at 7:05 p.m. between Neil and Prospect Avenue, and saw the driver’s side sliding glass door window shatter on a Dodge minivan traveling east as the two vehicles passed. Investigators stopped the semi and took Casey into custody. A search of Casey’s truck revealed ball bearings in various sizes, a slingshot, and slingshot making materials. Following a waiver of his Miranda rights, State Police say Casey admitted to shooting at vehicles with a slingshot and metal ball bearings while driving his truck, and indicated he aimed for minivan windows as they provided a bigger target.
Based on information received from State Police, State’s Attorney Rietz advised Judge Webber that Casey has a prior conviction from 1998 for Sexual Assault of a Child out of Wisconsin, for which he served 15 years in the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
The investigation is on-going and anyone with information about this matter or who may have been a victim should contact Illinois State Police.
