The Texas man who crashed the stolen vehicle he was driving, while fleeing from police, was sentenced to prison on Jue 17, 2024, by Judge Colby Hathaway. Tateeon Brown pleaded guilty to three counts in the case against him on April 2nd in an open plea. Tateeon Brown pleaded guilty to Residential Burglary, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, and Aggravated Fleeing. The Residental Burglary charge was amended to reduce it from a Class 1 Felony to a Class 2 Felony. Brown apologized to everyone affected by this incident in an unsworn statement to the court. He said he was going through a rough time in his life when the incident occurred. “I’m conscience of my poor choices.” He said he reached out to a rehab facility and had been accepted as a patient. “I’m ready to close this chapter of my life and begin a better person.” “I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m truly sorry.”
The State asked the court for seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections because Brown has a “significant criminal history”, said Assistant State’s Attorney Christakos. ASA Christakos said Mr. Brown fled from police, in a stolen vehicle, and caused a motor vehicle accident that injured him. The State said his actions suggest that he won’t comply with probation only. Defense Attorney Camp said that Brown has been free from drugs since he has been in the Henry County Jail, and has learned from his past. Attorney Camp said that Brown wants his future to be different than the last few years have been. The Defense requested a minimum prison sentence of three years if the court feels a prison sentence is necessary.
Judge Hathaway said Brown threatened physical harm when he fled from Kewanee at a high rate of speed. He sentenced Tateeon Brown to four years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). Here is a breakdown by charge:
- Count 1 of Residential Burglary – four years in IDOC, followed by one year of Mandatory Supervised Release (MSR), credit for time served, a $75 fine, and assessments.
- Count 3 of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle – four years in IDOC (Concurrent to Count 1), followed by one year MSR, Credit for Time Served, a $75 fine, and assessments.
- Count 4 of Aggravated Fleeing – three years in IDOC (Concurrent to Count 1), followed by six months of MSR, credit for time served, a $75 fine, and assessments.
On September 7, 2022, Kewanee Police observed the vehicle, that was reported stolen, in the 400 block of South Main Street and attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled from Kewanee Police at a high rate of speed. The pursuing officers lost sight of the vehicle south of Annawan. Brown lost control of the vehicle in Annawan and crashed at the intersection of Route 78 and Highway 6. During the investigation, Kewanee Police discovered additional stolen property, including firearms, from a residential burglary, reported about an hour prior to the stolen vehicle report.
Tateeon Brown was transported by ambulance to an area hospital and taken by Life Flight to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria following the crash. The owner of the vehicle was at a friend’s home when the vehicle was stolen. He told the police that he had left the keys inside the unlocked vehicle and that there was a firearm inside the vehicle.