Matt Hoke
LAWRENCE CO., Ill. - A tense situation yesterday brought all the police in Lawrence County to a location south of Lawrenceville, but it wasn't quite as bad as what a lot of people thought.
Apparently, a man wanted on warrants out of both Lawrence and Richland counties holed up in a location not far from a popular Lawrenceville beauty salon, Cutting Edge, and refused to come out of the place where he was situated, this happening Wednesday, September 21.
Reports have come in to Disclosure indicating many in the area south of town believed there was a shootout going on, as authorities were telling people to stay indoors - including those at the salon - while the situation unfolded.
However, while we've confirmed that the man - Matt Hoke, 44, ostensibly of Normal - was indeed armed with a shotgun, he never pointed it at any officers, and there were NO shots fired.
Sheriff Russell Adams said that Hoke was taken into custody but only after apparently tussling with officers and having to be hit with a TASER.
We've been able to confirm that Hoke was wanted out of Richland on a meth possession charge dating back to February of this year; in Lawrence, he has a felony Aggravated Fleeing Police dating back to 2013. He's now headed to court on both in the near future. To learn more about this incident, you can catch up on everything going on in downstate Illinois that other media doesn't bother with by getting an online membership to the e-Edition, which gets you the current print version and every one we've produced since 2012, right here at the comfort of your own computer or handheld. Click this link to get started if you're not already a member!