Crime & Safety
Semi Topples Streetlamp
The sizable vehicle damaged property in downtown Mokena on its way through the village.
The driver of a semi truck that rolled through downtown Mokena was issued citations after his 70,000-pound vehicle toppled a streetlight.
Jason Allen Earls, 55, of the 60200 block of East 190 Road in Fairland, Oklahoma, is charged with driving an over-length vehicle on a non-designated roadway, driving off the roadway and leaving the scene of a property damage incident.
Mokena police received reports of a hit-and-run involving a semi at 6:18 p.m. Jan. 4 at the intersection of Front Street and Wolf Road.
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Upon arriving at the site, police discovered the streetlight from the southwest corner of the intersection tipped over and lying on the sidewalk. The steel access plate that controls the wiring for the stoplights at the intersection was also damaged.
Witnesses said Earls was attempting to turn onto Wolf, when his vehicle struck the light pole, knocking it to the ground. He then left the scene of the occurrence.
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Frankfort police located Earls driving eastbound on Lincoln Highway. Police performed a traffic stop, but Earls denied any knowledge of toppling the pole.
The combined length of Earls’ truck and trailer exceeded 55 feet, the maximum legal length for a semi truck on a non-designated highway. Two outside tires on each of the truck’s rear axels were flat.
Earls was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident and transported to the Mokena Police Department, where he was cited and released on a $1,000 I-bond pending a court appearance on Feb. 13.
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Police blotter information is provided by the Mokena Police Department. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.
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