Driver guilty of plowing over rival

A Huntley snow plow operator is facing up to three years in prison after a judge found him guilty Tuesday of a felony charge for shoving aside the competition.

James F. Greve, 53, was convicted of criminal damage to property after a one-day trial in which a court heard testimony he used his truck to shove another plow out of his way in the parking lot of a Crystal Lake smoothie shop, causing more than $6,400 in damage.

Greve, who already is imprisoned on federal tax evasion charges, admitted using his plow to move the other truck but said he never intended to cause any damage.

But after listening to testimony from both Greve and the second truck's driver, McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather ruled otherwise.

"The defendant was lacking credibility," she said.

The second driver, Gabe Foss of Woodstock, testified he was in Jamba Juice along Northwest Highway on March 2, 2007, when Greve came into the business and told him to move his truck parked outside. When he refused, Foss testified, Greve said he would do it himself.

Greve, witnesses said, went outside and rammed his plow into the rear of Foss' smaller truck, pushing the vehicle several feet until it sat atop a curb. The shove broke a salt spreader, knocked the vehicle out of alignment and damaged other parts of the truck.

Prosecutors called the incident a case of road rage.

"What we had here was this defendant acting like a schoolyard bully," Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Ryan Blackney said.

Greve is scheduled to be sentenced May 23.