Defense Attorney Ruud anticipates there will be a plea for the Kewanee man charged with striking and killing 31-year-old Tyler Bliss in May. Tyler Bliss was riding his bicycle southbound on Highway 34 south of Kewanee when he was hit by a vehicle allegedly attempting to pass him. The vehicle’s driver, Darren Chamberlain, was issued a traffic citation for improper passing. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office conducted the crash reconstruction and forwarded all the information to the Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office. Early in the investigation, the Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office said additional charges were possible, but there has been no talk of additional charges. No updated information has been released by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
The family of Tyler Bliss was visibly shaken during the pretrial hearing. Following the hearing, his mother, Julley Bliss, said they are going to plead for overtaking a bicycle, and there will be no jail time. Tyler’s loved ones are having a hard time adjusting to life without him, especially because they say they see Mr. Chamberlain continuing to drive recklessly. Family members say the plea deal is *explicative* and that Mr. Chamberlain should “rot in jail.” They feel that they would be in jail if it had been them that struck and killed someone.
Judge Cosby granted one last continuance. A Jury Pre-Trial is scheduled for January 21, 2025, at 10 AM.
