Doesn't know? or not saying?

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
June 16, 2011

This morning's Northwest Herald reports (sort of) the two-car crash in Wonder Lake on Wednesday, June 8.

Because it happened in Wonder Lake, it is being investigated by the Wonder Lake Police Department. (NOTE: 10:15AM The crash didn't happen "in" Wonder Lake, as the Northwest Herald report. The Wonder Lake P.D. did not investigate this crash, according to a dispatcher at 10:15AM. The intersection is in unincorporated McHenry County.)

Not just "two cars". One of them was a patrol vehicle of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department. Oh, wait; so was the other vehicle! Two MCSD patrol vehicles involved in a crash at East Wonder Lake Road and Chippewa Drive about 9:30PM. Chippewa Drive is about 2,000 feet north of McCullom Lake Road.

Sight distance is good there. Speed limit is reasonable for the area (maybe 40MPH; not sure without going by).

And, according to the paper, it is being investigated "internally". Sniff, sniff.... Hello??? Cover-up???

And what says MCSD Press Information Officer Aimee Knop?

Was either deputy on duty? I don't know.
Was anyone injured? I don't know.
Will the Illinois State Police investigate? I don't know.

Was alcohol a factor? The reporter didn't ask that question. Apparently.

Geez, sounds like the playbook out of the Blagojevich trial...

If Deputy Knop doesn't know, it's because 1) nobody told her; 2) she didn't ask; 3) she was told to say she doesn't know.

A little later today I'll quote from the Public Information and Media Relations Policy of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department, which I just received yesterday. As of 7:45AM there is no Press Release on the Sheriff's website.

This crash should have been reported in the media on June 9. Or on June 10th, at the latest. Including the names of the driver's and occupants of the patrol vehicles. By now a ticket (or tickets) should have been issued to the at-fault driver(s).

Dep. Knop could find out in less than one minute who the drivers were and whether they were on duty. One Minute. O-n-e minute. And she doesn't know a week later?