NWH Comments policy?

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
August 9, 2012

The Northwest Herald published an updated article today about Daniel Huber's alleged involvement in a drag race gone bad on July 1. The Sheriff's Department issued a media release that Huber was involved in a late-night race with Alec Kaiser, 16, on Davis Road, just south of Woodstock and in unincorporated McHenry County. Kaiser and his passenger, Jacob Norys, 16, were killed when the vehicle left the roadway.

Earlier today Comments were allowed to the article. Some of them were condescending and rather vicious. Others were compassionate. Some were right on-target about responsibility.

By 5:00PM the Comments had been removed and no more were allowed.

It would be interesting to read and try to understand the Comments policy of the Northwest Herald. Why would they decide to allow comments and later decide to remove all of them?

In my comment I offered a possible reason for the Woodstock Police officer's not asking Kaiser and Norys for identification. If they were in the private parking lot of the Mobil station at 2025 S. Eastwood Dr., Woodstock, and not on the public roadway, then the officer may have believed that he did not have the legal right to ask for identification.

If he had, would the boys have provided it? Most likely. And the officer would have quickly realized that neither boy held a driver's license that was valid at that time of night. He would not have been able to cite either one, because he had not seen one of the driving on a street, but he could have asked them how they intended to get home and get the car home. Then he could have called Mr. Norys to come and get his car and the boys.

It appears that there was a passenger in Huber's car who has not yet been identified. If you know who that passenger was, provide the name to the Woodstock Police Department and/or to the McHenry County Sheriff's Department.

Huber faces two felony charges: aggravated street racing (625 ILCS 5/11-401B) and failure to report an accident (death) (625 ILCS 5/11-506(A). He would have been advised of his rights in the Jail Court this morning, and his next court date is August 15 before Judge Prather for the status on a warrant. No defense attorney is yet listed in online Circuit Court records.

Online jail records indicate that Huber is still in custody. His bail is $100,000, although he can be released on a $10,000 bond.