A dispatch was sent out to law enforcement personel Sat. night to breakup a brawl in the eastern part of Sangamon County (IL). At this particular tavern over the course of the past year authorities have been called out 32 times over disturbances. A second call for backup had to be emitted, as those officers from the county's sherriff's department needed extra manpower to aid in getting the crowd under control. Enroute was State Trooper Brian McMillen. He did not make it. His squad car was hit by two vehicles at an intersection "just a ways from" the site of the fighting. Officer McMillen was pronounced dead at the scene of the "firey crash". One of the drivers of the other vehicles involved was taken to a local hospital and listed in serious condition. BOTH drivers that hit the squad car were under the influence. (Mon.) One of the driver's of Sat's crash went before a grand jury....... he is charged with vehicular manslaughter in the death of Brian McMillen.
Excerpts from the obituary of Brian McMillen. Upon graduating from HS in 2000 enlisted in the Il. National Guard of which he rose very quickly to rank of Technical Sargent. He has served 3 terms overseas: Italy, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. He was graduate of UIS where he earned his degree in law enforcement. He was top of his cadet class, serving as president and graduating in Feb. of 2007. Accepted to serve Dist. # of the IL State Police Agency. Among survivors, wife Angela whom he married in July 2006, his parents and 10 siblings. He was 24. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a true story. Flags in our state were ordered to be flown half mast tomorrow. Alcohol..........how seductive, how powerful, how mysterious, how baffling, how cunning, how DEADLY.
Hi Nancy, On and off this news has brought tears (at one point I simply had to let them flow.) There are soooo many reasons: the effect alcohol has had on my AH, his health, our marriage. The fact that my oldest, is the same age as this officer and he too is in law enforcement and the thought....... (I suppose it's the mother in me that from time to time worries over such things.) I cannot forget the two young men who hit this cop. They too were 24. They may not have had the acolades that the officer did, yet they ARE somebody's son, brother, ect. I think the hardest is knowing I have NO control over any of it. Three lives ALL of which were altered by alcohol. (Actually there were probably more........This death/accident overshadowed what happened at the tavern. The newspaper accounts have not reported on arrests made there, have said nothing about the business's continued operation, ect. It was shut down for about a week earlier in the year. The county made them get better security lights and do some other things after one of those incidents. The same county that okayed the license so late. It is in a remote sort of country type setting from what I understand. It was given a 2:00 am license which is later than most especially the city of Decatur's issuances which is close in proximity and in the next county. I THINK it's a 3:00am deal on weekends. Don't quote me on that though. It has been drawing alot of young kids because it does stay open so late.) I live close to these places in yet another county. I live on a country road that on Sat. becomes a sort of backdoor from one little town to another, both of which are draws for the young crowd. (18 even though it's illegal to 30) When one town shuts down, here they come to go to the next. To add salt to the womb......there's a young kid that who lives about 3 mis. south of me that hosts parties all the time. I've heard there are always underagers. As a parent.........this is one of those stories that just sends shivers up the spine and pulls the heartstrings.
To those on this site............for every effort you have given your sobriety May God continue to help you. For what you have shared about those struggles, I thank you. Hopefully togethor, by our own respective stories/struggles we can spare someone the grief and hardships that these families now endure. Wanda
what a tragic waste. there has to be a way to prevent people from starting a car when they have been drinking, like an automatic sensor on the steering wheel. sure alcoholics are pretty crafty and could have someone else start the vehicle or hold their breathe, but when they put it in gear they are going to have to breathe and then the car ignition shuts down for hours and the brakes and emergency flashers come, including an additional light to alert cops that the driver has been drinking.
