Kankakee Count Sheriff’s Office issued a press release on October 3 that deputies utilized a drone to assist in the apprehension of two fleeting suspects.
On October 3, shortly before 4 a.m., sheriff’s deputies assisted the Illinois State Police on I-57, just south of Kankakee, in a search for two individuals who fled into a bean field near the 308 exit.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies quickly deployed an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) equipped with thermal imaging capabilities, successfully locating the suspects attempting to hide in the field.
Johnny McCaskill, 21, from Chicago, and Eric Johnson, 25, also from Chicago, were arrested and charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle (valued over $25,000), resisting a peace officer, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and bringing a controlled substance into a penal institution.
Sheriff Mike Downey praised the officers involved, stating, “I commend all the police officers who worked diligently to apprehend these individuals. Additionally, I’m proud of our deputies for mastering evolving technology and utilizing it swiftly in critical situations, as well as the county board for providing us with these extremely useful tools. Let this serve as a reminder to those who attempt to evade law enforcement: The days of successfully hiding in a field or a tree are largely behind us. You can run, but you can’t hide.”
*All persons are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.