State Representative Dan Swanson announced on Wednesday that he and other local leaders will be on hand at Alwood Elementary School on Saturday to dedicate a portion of Highway to late Deputy Sheriff Nick Weist. According to the information provided by Representative Dan Swanson, the dedication will be done at Alwood Elementary School, located at 101 East A. Street in Alpha on Saturday, August 26th, at 11:45 AM. A portion of U.S 150 from Alpha to Galesburg is being renamed in honor of Deputy Sheriff Weist who died in the line of duty in April of 2022.
The choice to do the dedication at Alwood Elementary School is appropriate as many credit Deputy Sheriff Weist’s actions for keeping safe kids from Alwood Elementary who might have been in the path of a man fleeing from Police on that same stretch of road on April 29th, 2022. Though off-duty at the time, Deputy Sheriff Weist leapt into action when the call came for someone to put out stop sticks on U.S 150 to stop a vehicle that was fleeing from authorities.
The driver of the vehicle, Daylon K. Richardson was fleeing after having robbed a gas station in Galesburg. Reports indicate he had a gun and was firing that gun from his vehicle at pursuing authorities. Richardson’s vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it struck the stop sticks and the fleeing vehicle struck Deputy Sheriff Weist, killing him. Richardson was apprehended after a short foot chase and is still awaiting trial.
Members of the Illinois General Assembly, led by State Representative Dan Swanson, voted overwhelmingly to name this portion of U.S 150 from Galesburg to Alpha in honor of Deputy Sheriff Weist back in April of this year.
