Evaluation ordered in elderly landlord ax chase
A judge has ordered a fitness evaluation for a Carpentersville man accused of chasing his elderly landlord with an ax.
Christopher A. Pederson, 60, is under order to have an evaluation completed by the Kane County Diagnostic Center, according to court records.
Pederson is charged with felony aggravated battery to a victim over 60 and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The most serious charge carries a penalty of anywhere from probation to five years in prison.
The 73-year-old landlord was not injured after managing to elude Pederson as he was chased through a parking lot on Elgin’s northwest side May 3. Pedersen yelled at the man about not accepting a check for rent money and accused him of stealing items from his apartment, Elgin police said.
Pederson is free on bond and is next due in court Oct. 3.
A message left with his defense attorney, Van Larson, was not returned.
Congrats:
Kane County Judge F. Keith Brown of the 16th Judicial Circuit was honored by the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council during a recent meeting in Springfield.
Brown was awarded the Justice Benjamin K. Miller Recognition Award, which was named after former Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Miller and honors members of the community and judiciary for work toward preventing family violence.
Four other judges also were recognized, including Judge Robert J. Anderson of the 18th Circuit in DuPage County.
Since being elected as a circuit judge in 1996, Brown has had numerous duties, including presiding over the court’s Family Division and serving as the chairman of the circuit’s Family Violence Coordinating Council.
Brown also helped implement the Cindy Bischof Act, a law that took effect in 2009 named after an Arlington Heights woman murdered in May 2008 by an ex-boyfriend who repeatedly violated an order of protection. The act allows a judge to order a risk assessment of a defendant and mandate GPS monitoring. Offenders for violation of an order of protection must be placed on GPS monitoring as part of parole.
Brown also is credited for supporting the Kane County Family Violence Diversion program.
No Refusal nets three arrests:
A “No Refusal” event held over the July 4 holiday in Kane County netted three driving under the influence arrests, two from St. Charles and one from Elgin.
The event marked the third of its type by the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The first, held in 2009, had only Elgin Police as a participating agency.
This event had 12, including the Illinois State Police, Kane County Sheriff’s Office and police from Algonquin, East Dundee, Elburn, Elgin, Geneva, Huntley, Pingree Grove, South Elgin, St. Charles, and West Dundee.
hhitzeman@dailyherald.com