Police beat
Algonquin
• A four-car crash on Route 31 near Linden Avenue at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday sent at least 10 people to Sherman, Provena St. Joseph and Good Shepherd hospitals. At least three of patients were in serious condition, police said. Seven of the patients were reported to be children, six from one vehicle. Traffic was closed off on Route 31 for about 90 minutes, police said.
• Two men were arrested at 6 a.m. Sunday at Clay and Lincoln streets. Tyler J. Vette, 17, of 804 Chasefield Lane #4, Crystal Lake, was charged with theft of mislaid property, police said. Vette was released on recognizance with a Sept. 10 court date in Woodstock. Jeffrey T. Budde, 18, of 1287 Williamsburg Lane, Crystal Lake, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said. Budde posted a $100 bond and was released also with a Sept. 10 court date in Woodstock.
• A man was arrested at his home at 1:15 p.m. Sunday. John Arthur Johnson, 53, of 1211 Victoria Court, Algonquin, was charged with aggravated assault, police said. Johnson was taken to the McHenry County jail where he posted an unknown amount of bond and was released.
Carpentersville
• A 21-year-old South Elgin woman was accused Monday of writing a bad check for $67.50 to a Carpentersville pizza parlor on Nov. 30, 2007. Meghan E. Cervenka, 714 Cambridge Road, was charged with deceptive practice, police said. Cervenka was released on her signature during a Tuesday bond hearing. Her next court date is scheduled for Aug. 14 at the Kane County Judicial Center.
Elgin
• 20 grounding cables were stolen over the weekend from the cellular tower construction site on the 1200 block of Gasket Drive. Police said it will cost $1,500 to replace the cables.
• A global positioning system and a case of 100 CDs were stolen from a 2007 Mitsubishi Galant between 5 and 9 p.m. Monday on the 2200 block of Point Boulevard.
• The passenger-side window of a 1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo parked on the 500 block of Prospect Street was smashed and a CD player/television monitor worth $500 was stolen Monday.
Huntley
• Huntley police are investigating several recent vehicle burglaries on the vilage's north side subdivisions of Covington Lakes and Northbridge. Global positioning systems and personal items were stolen from the vehicles, all but two of them had been left unlocked. Police encourage residents to remove all valuables from their vehicles parked overnight or lock valuable in the trunk. Several incidents of criminal defacement or criminal damage to property also occurred in the South wind subdivision on the north side.
• Police made a traffic stop on a vehicle Sunday and the driver was arrested for two traffic offenses and littering. Travis J. Hinkle, 20, of 574 Darlington Lane, Crystal Lake, was cited for driving while license suspended and a defective windshield, police said. Hinkle posted $100 and was released from custody. He is scheduled to appear in court in Woodstock on Sept. 19.
• A woman suspected of drunken driving was stopped by police on Sunday in Huntley. Genevieve A. Rainey, 58, of 10778 Braemar Parkway, Huntley, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or over and driving without headlights, police said. Rainey posted her driver's license and $100 and was released from custody. Her next court date is on Sept. 19 in Woodstock.