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March 28, 2024

Paris Chamber of Commerce Director Randy Peterson facing Domestic Battery Charges in Edgar County – –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On October 27, 2017

Mugshot of Randy Peterson from one of his arrests earlier this year in Indiana

PARIS, EDGAR CO., IL. (ECWd) –

Paris Area Chamber of Commerce Director, Randall “Randy” Peterson, has been charged with Domestic Battery against his wife.

This Complaint was filed on October 26, 2017. He posted a Bond of $350 on October 25th, and a NO CONTACT (with his wife or his home) order has been issued against him.

His first Court appearance is scheduled for November 20, 2017, at 1:30 p.m. in the Edgar County Courthouse.

This is a Class A Misdemeanor charge of Domestic Battery/Physical Contact – Edgar County Case Number 2017-MR-154.

Peterson is the former Edgar County Republican Party Chairman, former candidate for Illinois State Representative, and is currently listed on the Paris Area Chamber of Commerce website as a Director of the Chamber.

Peterson already has a lengthy police record:

  • Guilty plea to a March 5, 2017 DUI in Indiana on September 5th, and sentenced in part to 178 days of Formal Probation – it is unclear at this time if this charge would violate that formal probation.
  • He was arrested and charged with Domestic Battery in Indianapolis on January 15th of this year (click here) – but that charge was later dismissed.
  • Guilty plea to a 2003 DUI in Paris, Illinois
  • Guilty plea to a 2006 DUI in Vermilion County, Indiana
  • Guilty plea to a 2010 Disorderly Conduct in Paris, Illinois

When will the Courts say enough is enough? 
.

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12 Comments
  • MdStine
    Posted at 21:53h, 27 October

    3 DUI convictions since 2003, I thought the third triggered quality time in the DOC? Since 2 were in Indiana does Illinois take the position that they never existed and/or does Indiana have the same technicality even though common sense should draw the conclusion that DUI convictions should be considered even if they are accumulated interstate?

  • Theodore P. Hartke, PE, PLS President, Hartke Engineering and Surveying, Inc.
    Posted at 07:58h, 28 October

    I wonder how much wind energy money is used to keep him out of jail? All of his mug shots should say “wind turbine lover” across his forehead.

    • Stan
      Posted at 12:27h, 27 November

      (insert eye roll here)

  • Robert O. Bogue
    Posted at 11:28h, 28 October

    If memory serves well, Randy Peterson was happily and completely endorsed by the Edgar County Republican Party (at a time when chaired by Keith Miller).
    Let us not forget Chris Patrick, forced to resign from the county board because of an illegal conflict of interest (who steadfastly refuses his polygraph in regards to the firebombing to two aircraft at the Edgar County Airport ((along with former airport manager Jim Wells of Chrisman)).
    Chris Patrick was also endorsed by the Edgar County Party. Does anyone see a pattern here? The Edgar County Republican Party and all good Republicans need to speak out against these examples of bad behavior and support those actually contributing to the good of our community. Lets see if he remains the Paris Area Chamber of Commerce Director……

    • Homer
      Posted at 15:42h, 28 October

      Speaking of good republicans why didn’t mr motley figure the firebombing out it’s like he was no where to be found during the investigation just wondering

      • jmkraft
        Posted at 18:05h, 28 October

        We have written about this previously. Either the ISP or the County owed money to the cell phone operators for data received in a several-years-old murder investigation that they never paid. In order to obtain the data for investigation of the airport terrorist firebombing incident allegedly perpetuated by local Edgar County residents, the county would have had to pay that bill prior to obtaining further information. Since the State’s Attorney was apparently not willing to do that, and not willing to order production of records from the cell towers, the investigation stalled.

        • Robert O. Bogue
          Posted at 08:46h, 29 October

          Homer,
          Ed Motley and at least one member of his staff (retired ISP officer) were instrumental in getting this investigation out of Edgar County;. This was based on the level of expertise needed, the credentials of those within sheriff’s department and even the possibility that two of the chief suspects (with the most to gain) were our local concrete supplier and airport manager. Two, that would have influence over the outcome of an investigation and at the time even the airport itself.
          ISP has concluded it’s two investigation and returned its findings to the Edgar County State’s Attorney Mark Isaf. No action has been taken yet.
          You can research that actual investigative report on this website. You may notice Jim Wells offers conflicting statements as to his whereabouts when questioned by the ISP and then later when compared to statements made by Mary Lou Wright.
          Even though Chris Patrick is one of two local suspects and refuses to take a polygraph exam…our present sheriff Jeff Wood has no problem in flying around the country with him picking up Edgar County Prisoners.
          This was done even though Chris Patrick does not have a pilots charter license, the county has no proof Chris has or even had insurance on his aircraft or those flying with him, there are no FAA documents showing that Chris was qualified with training to fly prisoners and without the prisoners consent to fly “outside the law”. There are legal ways in which to transport prisoners…on aircraft routinely and properly maintained…with commercial pilots properly certified and trained for prisoner flights.
          Sheriff Jeff Wood had no right to expose the county to this enormous liability or to act so recklessly with the known chief suspect in a firebombing/arson case.
          You should also understand the reason for the firebombing. Jimmy Wells was filling out applications for federal grants and sending them to the Illinois Department of Aeronautics (in charge of federal funding projects for the FAA; since Illinois is a block grant funding state).
          Jimmy deliberately lied, deceived and did other on those grant applications resulting first in their approval and ultimately the withdrawal of those funds by the FAA for grant fraud reasons.
          Of course with Chris Patrick serving on the airport committee and later on the county board…approval of projects….wouldn’t be a problem. The Zimmerly Readi-Mix Concrete Company….owned by Chris Patrick….who had been supplying all of the concrete at the Edgar County Airport would continue to benefit immensely with unwarranted projects from an airport operating outside Illinois Law.
          The firebombing/arson was a result of myself and others speaking out against this fraud and theft of federal tax monies: for unwarranted and illegal projects and spending all in the county board sessions and in our very own courthouse. This was done to silence me and others so that the fraud would continue. I found it motivational.
          Incidentally…this is the very reason funding has been halted for the present airport projects. Violations of Illinois Law…
          I have no authority or power to halt anything, nor to arrest anyone….or it would have been done.

  • Perry Mason
    Posted at 19:37h, 28 October

    Where there is smoke – over and over – there is definitely fire. Guilty or not…he must go. Those who would support keeping him in any leadership position or representing any credible entity should, themselves, be run out on a rail and exposed.

    • Kojak
      Posted at 19:41h, 28 October

      Their credibility as an organization tanked after they gave the Small Business of the Year Award to a convicted child molester. Now they have a 3-time convicted DUI & alleged wife-beater on their Board.

  • Justin Hefner
    Posted at 14:49h, 29 October

    What a Role Model Peterson!! Way to Go!!!

  • Janet
    Posted at 08:25h, 04 November

    MdStine: According to the 2017 Illinois DUI Fact Book I found online, “if drivers are convicted of DUI in another state, the convictions will be added to their Illinois driving record and result in the revocation of driving privileges. The length of the revocation will be based upon the driver’s previous Illinois driving history.”

  • amadmind
    Posted at 12:11h, 18 March

    I see that nothing in Paris has changed since I lived there in the late 70’s and early 80’s. People who do terrible things are allowed to continue on with their lives.

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