PIKE: Both sides crying foul in Barry incident

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By BETH ZUMWALT

Civilians gathered to watch their favorite tradition of observing cars that leave the Barry Car Show. As the grand finale of the Apple Festival Weekend, Sunday, many of the drivers of these cars do “burnouts” to please the crowd that gathers along County Highway 4, from State Highway 106 up to and slightly beyond the entrance to the Barry Travel Plaza. But the entertainment is not without its risks.

“The last couple years, at least one vehicle lost control and almost hit an onlooker on the side of the road and another lost control and almost caused a head-on collision with a vehicle traveling southbound that came off the interstate,” Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood, said. “The complaints were that ‘it is just a matter of time before something bad happens.’”

To that end, Greenwood issued a statement early Sunday morning that the burnouts would not be allowed. The announcement was on social media platforms and announced at the car show. There was a strong police force at the intersection of County Highway 4 and State Highway 106, consisting of the PCSD and ISP.

“I ordered my deputies to issue citations for anyone violating obvious Illinois Vehicle Code (IVC) violations during the time we were there,” Greenwood said. “This was not an order or request from the mayor.”

With the burnouts being thwarted, the spectators, expecting a show, asked the Dollar General on the County Highway 4 if they could use their drive, behind the store.

But the more than 100 spectators who arrived wanting a show, improvised.

“They told us we could,” Kelsey McDonald, a would-be spectator said. “We were on private property. We even had one officer tell us that as long as we stayed on private property, we were okay.”

Randy Swartz, who was also at the Dollar General parking lot, said it was only after the first couple of burnouts on the parking lot, before a Pike County Deputy pulled into the lot, red and blue lights along with a warning siren and ordered them to stop.

“Everybody started yelling, ‘We are on private property,’” McDonald said.”Then he put a person in the squad car.”

At that time, the crowd intensified both in temperament and size. They  gathered around the squad car, prohibiting it from leaving, according to Greenwood.

“The crowd was shouting threats, using the F-word. Things were hurled at the officer and the officer who arrived to assist him,” he said. “Drinks were poured on the squad car, hits and kicks were delivered  on the squad car, causing damage. There were small children in the crowd that were allowed to flip us off and yelling profanities along with their parents.”

“Two of my deputies were in fear of their lives,” Greenwood said. “Pepper spray was eventually deployed to clear the crowd so the deputy could leave. My vehicle was repeatedly spit on at this event.  People I have known for decades were yelling at my officers.”

Members of the the crowd said the situation should never have happened, they were on private property with permission from the manager Dollar General. Many were upset that the pepper spray was sprayed indiscriminately, affecting children in the crowd.

After the crowd immediately left the scene allowing the squad car to leave. Many had pepper spray in their eyes. It is estimated four people went to the hospital for eye treatment and another dozen went into the Dollar General Store to  get help to wash their eyes.

“Plus, there were people getting ice and stuff out of coolers and putting it on their faces,” McDonald said. “My boyfriend’s 14-year-old daughter got sprayed in the face and she wasn’t doing anything. It blinded her temporarily, so she went to the hospital.”

Greenwood said that rumors that he fired the deputy who deployed the pepper spray “one the spot” was not true.

“My deputies acted valiantly during this melee with two of them being in fear of their lives,” Greenwood said.

According to Greenwood, it is important to point out that it was not the car show’s fault the situation happened.

“As vehicles were coming down Rodgers Street to the intersection, I would tell them if they spin their tires, they will get a ticket,” Greenwood said. “All of the drivers from the car show indicated they want nothing to do with this event and thanked us for being there. Many people thanked us and said they were tired of this event. The problem does not lie with the drivers from the car show, it was mostly the onlookers.”

Several videos of the event were filmed. Those are being reviewed and criminal charges for individuals involved in damaging the patrol cars, obstructing justice, mob action and aggravated battery of a peace officer will be presented to the State’s Attorney’s office with a request to file charges on these individuals.

“There are an awful lot of people that can expect charges,” Greenwood said. “The song ‘Try That in a Small Town’ really came to mind yesterday. So many people we were dealing with yesterday wear that song as a badge or song of honor, daring people to come to their town to disrupt or riot. Unfortunately, it is not people coming to a small town that is going to cause the disruptions or riots, those people are already there.  I pray this is a low spot for the city of Barry, not a downward spiral and the local officials will finally do something about this situation from repeating itself in the future.”

Greenwood added that it was a no win situation for his department.

“The problem lies with having a police presence, observing vehicles blatantly violating the law in such an unsafe manner and someone getting seriously hurt.,” he said “Who do you think is going to get the blame for that? The law enforcement for not doing anything about it. It seems to be that the culture now is shifting blame to law enforcement for everything. ‘We are damned if you do and damned if you don’t.’”