A high-speed pursuit Thursday evening in rural Henry County concluded with the arrest of 30-year-old Matthew D. Reges, of Kewanee. Authorities report that just after 7 PM, a deputy spotted a vehicle without taillights near IL Highway 17 and 980 East in rural Woodhull. The driver allegedly fled, leading law enforcement through cornfields and exceeding speed limits. The chase ended near rural Galva, where Reges attempted to escape on foot but was quickly apprehended. He faces multiple charges, including reckless driving, aggravated fleeing and eluding, and driving while license suspended. His pretrial release from a previous case was revoked, and he was remanded to the Henry County Jail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 1 PM.
Matthew Reges is charged with no lights when required, driving while license suspended, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, driving too fast for conditions, failure to signal when required, improper lane usage, disobeying a stop sign, speeding (26–34 mph over the posted speed limit), reckless driving, and aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer.
All subjects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
“We would like to thank the Galva and Kewanee Police Departments and the Illinois State Police/DNR for their assistance.”