Four people were arrested Thursday in connection with an early Sunday morning disturbance on the 600 block of West Adams Street in Macomb.
During a press briefing Friday morning, Macomb Police Chief Curt Barker announced 22-year old Tevin Currie, 25-year old Joshua Wells, 21-year old Ryan E. J. Nowak and 22-year old Dennis Williams II, all of Kewanee, were arrested and charged with the incident which stemmed from a fight in front of a residence where a party was being held, after which a vehicle was caught on video allegedly being used in an attempt to frighten people involved in the fight, according to Barker.
Currie was charged with aggravated assault and reckless driving. Wells, who was seen on the video riding on the hood of the car as it left the scene the first time, was charged with mob action and battery. Nowak was charged with obstructing justice and Williams was charged with mob action.
Maccomb Police Chief Curt Barker holds a press briefing Friday morning, Feb. 7, announcing the arrest of four individuals in connection to an altercation in Macomb early Sunday morning, Feb. 2. (Photo by Bill Schmalfeldt)
Barker said Macomb police started getting messages on their Facebook page Sunday afternoon showing an individual apparently attempting to hit pedestrians with his vehicle. Since then, Barker said, investigators from the Macomb Police and McDonough County Sheriff's Office conducted over 30 interviews and developed the evidence leading to warrants being sworn for the four individuals. Nowak and Williams were arrested in Kewanee, Wells was arrested in Bloomington, and Currie was arrested in Columbus, OH.
Barker stressed that this was not a hate crime, there were no weapons involved and race was not an aggravating factor in the disturbance. Barker said that the alleged driver was not trying to hurt or kill anyone. "He was just trying to scare them," he said.
Barker thanked the McDonough County Sheriff's Office, the Office of Public Safety, McDonough County States Attorney's Office, Kewanee Police Department, McClean County Sheriff's Office and Columbus, Ohio, Police Department for their assistance in locating and arresting these four individuals.