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NWHerald.com
THE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN McHENRY COUNTY
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Drivers face slick roads Icy conditions caused several crashes, local police say
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Judge acquits former teacher Words heated after upskirt photo case By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
Huntley firefighters work on the eastbound side of Interstate 90 following a chain-reaction accident Friday involving more than 30 vehicles east of Route 47 near Huntley. Fire Chief Ken Caudle said the first incident involved two semitrailers that jackknifed, but Sgt. Paul Carlos of the Illinois State Police said there were likely 10 to 12 incidents in total, including vehicles sliding off the road. Caudle said there was “a lot of major vehicle damage.” Traffic was backed up for five miles. By ALLISON GOODRICH
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agoodrich@shawmedia.com Friday was a busy day for McHenry County-area police and fire agencies and a miserable one for motorists. While almost all of the area school districts were back in session Friday after a two-day, weather-related hiatus, drivers were still out and about in the freezing conditions and sliding over sheets of black ice. McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Aimee Knop said the number of crashes already was higher than usual by late Friday morning. From midnight to 11:30 a.m., the sheriff’s office dealt with 35 motorist assists and 14 traffic crashes in its jurisdiction.
To view a list of more photos of traffic problems caused by Friday’s weather, visit NWHerald.com.
Inside Winter outdoor activities: McHenry County groups offer hiking, skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling. PAGE A3 “Today, we saw an increase in motor vehicle crashes due to black ice, some people driving too fast for conditions, as well as areas where there was snow drifting because of the wind,” Knop said. A majority of the motorist assists, she added, were for vehicles that had slid off the road and into
ditches. Only a handful of crashes resulted in minor injuries, and none were life-threatening, Knop said. The evening commute featured fewer calls for crashes and motorist assists. Individual municipalities also dealt with their fair share of road catastrophes during the early part
of Friday, with lane blockages in various areas congesting streets throughout the morning. Southbound Route 31 in Lake in the Hills was backed up for more than an hour after a crash that occurred near Virginia Road. And eastbound Interstate 90 near Huntley was jammed for miles while the Illinois State Police and the Huntley Fire Protection District dealt with 10 to 12 different crashes and spin-off incidents. “We had 30-plus vehicles involved total,” Huntley Fire Chief Ken Caudle said. “We ended up treating and transporting eight people. As for those who [refused medical treatment] on site, there were about 20 people.”
WOODSTOCK – Just after a not guilty verdict was returned for a former McHenry teacher accused of taking a photograph up the skirt of a student, the alleged victim’s father and one of Thomas Eggert’s supporters exchanged heated words. The girl’s father eventually was removed from the courthouse when it looked like the altercation might turn physical. It was unclear who provoked the argument. A supporter of 44-year-old Eggert Thomas a l s o h a d a n g r y Eggert words for news media members as they waited for comment. McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt on Friday acquitted Eggert on all three misdemeanor charges of unauthorized video recording and disorderly conduct, finding that prosecutors had not proven Eggert’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. As he left the courtroom, Eggert himself said: “I want it clearly stated that I am innocent of all these charges.” Eggert, a teacher at East Campus for 17 years, was fired this fall. A message was left for the District 156 superintendent. “I wish there was a way he could regain his reputation,” defense attorney Daniel Hofmann said outside the courtroom. “Being found not guilty is very important, but how do you get someone back their excellent reputation?” Though he acquitted Eggert,
See DRIVING, page A4 See ACQUITTED, page A4
Advisers suggest plan for Rauner’s first 100 days in office CHICAGO – Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner can “usher in a new era” in Illinois, a committee advising the Republican businessman said Friday in offering recommendations for his priorities, saying the state’s problems will likely take years to address but are not intractable. Among the suggestions for his first 100 days in office was that Illinois
“jump start” the oil and gas drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and that the governor’s office find a professional firm to create Illinois’ “new brand” and market the state to CEOs nationwide. The committee also said Rauner should streamline state agencies, pause and review major infrastructure projects and take steps to limit senior public officials from serving as lobbyists after they leave office. The 91-page report from Rauner’s
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transition committee comes as he prepares to take the oath of office Monday. Rauner, who was traveling the state Friday as part of a twoBruce day tour before inauRauner gural festivities begin Sunday, said he would review the recommendations to ensure his team can “hit the ground running.” He did not commit to im-
plementing them. The biggest issue facing Rauner is undoubtedly Illinois’ financial crisis. The state has a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, billions in unpaid bills, the worst credit rating of any state and a $111 billion public-pension shortfall. Committee members did not give specific guidance on how to fix those problems. But they noted that the issues have prevented Illinois from providing services to residents and
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making investments needed to be competitive. They said Rauner must allay the concerns of taxpayers, corporations and others by laying out a “clear and credible plan” to balance its budget. That plan should include cutting spending, finding efficiencies and comprehensive tax reform, they said. The committee included Bill Daley, the former chief of staff to
See RAUNER, page A4
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By SARA BURNETT The Associated Press