Alleged Highland Park parade shooter Robert Crimo III has written the judge in his case, asking the court to allow him to call a friend.
Crimo has court permission to call members of his family, but is asking that he be allowed to call a friend and neighbor. “She is like family to me and was severely affected by losing me,” he wrote to Judge Victoria Rossetti.
In the same letter, Crimo disputed media reports that he has been “staring down” victims during his court hearings.
“When I look into the gallery, I am merely looking at my family,” he wrote. “I truly feel sorry for everyone involved.”
Crimo’s case is due back in court on Feb. 6. He is scheduled to stand trial next month on charges that he opened fire on the crowd assembled for the July 4, 2022 parade in Highland Park, killing seven and injuring dozens more.
Alleged jail attack
A Zion man awaiting trial on murder charges has been charged with attacking a correctional officer at the Lake County jail earlier this month, according to the sheriff’s office.
Raymond L. Smith, 46, is facing three counts of aggravated battery to a correctional officer and other counts following the Jan. 3 incident, authorities said.
The sheriff’s office said that an officer was doing his rounds that day when he noted that Smith had more than five jail library books in his cell, which violates policy. When the officer told Smith that he could only keep five books, Smith reportedly became enraged and began punching him.
Authorities said Smith also tried to choke the officer, who used pepper spray to force the inmate to retreat into his cell. Additional personnel responded, and Smith was placed in the jail’s maximum-security wing.
The correctional officer suffered several contusions but was able to return to work the next day, the sheriff’s office said
“Correctional officers perform one of the most challenging and underappreciated jobs in law enforcement, often facing unpredictable and dangerous situations,” Sheriff John Idleburg said. “This incident highlights the very real risks they encounter every day to maintain order and safety within the jail.”
Smith is awaiting trial in a 2018 shooting death in Zion.
Garage fire
Zion firefighters extinguished a blaze this month inside a garage in the 1900 block of Sunshine Court.
The fire department was alerted just before 7 p.m. on Jan. 18, and arriving firefighters said there was moderate smoke emanating from the garage. The resident was attempting to put out the fire, authorities said.
Firefighters ran a hose through the house to reach the closed garage and were able to extinguish the blaze. The resident was evaluated for smoke inhalation, but was not transported. The cause was not immediately known.
The fire caused about $75,000 damage, Zion firefighters said.
Scholarship available
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has announced that students can now apply for a scholarship sponsored by the Illinois Sheriff’s Association.
The $500 Lake County award will go to a full-time student pursuing higher education at an accredited state institution. The student must be a full-time resident of Illinois, and the scholarship must be used for books, tuition or fees.
The deadline for registration is March 14. Applications are available at the sheriff’s office, or online at https://www.ilsheriff.org/youth-2/
BB gun
Two people were detained recently after Grayslake police responded to a report of a firearm being displayed from a vehicle in the parking lot at Grayslake North High School.
The incident was reported around 3:20 p.m. on Jan. 17. Witnesses saw the offending vehicle leaving the lot and alerted police, who quickly stopped it. Officers recovered a BB gun from inside the car, and took the people inside into custody.
Coffee talk
Lake Villa Police will have a “Coffee with a Cop” event on Feb. 11 from 7 to 8:30 a.m. at the Dunkin’ store, at 802 Tower Drive.
Residents can stop by for coffee, conversation and to share any concerns with members of the department.
“No speeches or agendas, just good conversation and connection!” LVPD said in a social media post.
