Charleston City Council honors man for helping apprehend vehicle hijacking suspect

Tim Preston of Charleston received an award for “bravery and assistance to the Charleston Police Department” during the Charleston City Council’s meeting Tuesday evening. The award was presented by Chief Heath Thornton and by Officer Patrick Easterday, who responded to the vehicle hijacking call.

“It turned out to be a very positive thing he did for us and the community,” Thornton said, noting that the suspect had earlier tried to hijack a vehicle on the courthouse square. He said Preston’s actions prevented the suspect from eluding police and committing additional acts of violence.

The incident occurred at approximately 4:20 p.m. May 5 as Preston stopped to fuel up at Hucks, 501 Madison Ave. Preston said he heard someone repeatedly shout “help” and saw a driver struggling to keep the suspect from hijacking his vehicle while they were both in the front seat. Preston said he then held the vehicle’s gear shift in park while the driver removed his key from the ignition.

Preston said he subsequently pursued the fleeing suspect on foot to the nearby parking lot of Fetchers, 320 Sixth St., where he placed the suspect in a hold from his Charleston High School wrestling days that rendered him unconscious. He said police officers arrived shortly thereafter to take the suspect into custody.

“I just did what I did because I knew it was right. I just heard someone was in trouble and needed help, and I was there,” Preston said.

The suspect, Alfredo Ramos, Jr., 43, of Chicago, later entered a voluntary guilty plea on May 22 to vehicle hijacking, aggravated battery to a police officer, and threatening a police officer. He has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

In other matters, the council voted to support the city’s application to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Park & Recreational Facility Construction Program for grant funding to create a 12-court pickleball facility at the new 44-acre Linder Sports Complex. The city is still finalizing the dollar amount for the grant application, which is due by June 15.

Mayor Brandon Combs said a petition in support of the grant application has received more than 500 signature so far.

“We have had our eyes set on pickleball for a long time and it is great to see people come together,” Combs said of support for the new courts.

The council also approved zoning petitions filed by John Davis Implement, Inc. as it prepares to relocate from its current location on West Madison Avenue near the Coles County Fairgrounds to a currently vacant lot at 5854 Development Drive in the Coles Business Park along Illinois 16. Combs said this business plans to construct an 11,820-square-foot building at this new site, plus a 4,700-square-foot parking area.

Charleston’s zoning board recommended approving John Davis Implement’s requests for a conditional use permit for farm implement sales and services at this location, plus a variance for two 50-foot-wide commercial driveways there.