2/14/23
Jacqueline K. Smith, 56, of Urbana, was arrested at 2:12 a.m. Tuesday near Sixth and Green streets, Champaign, for aggravated assault. Police initially were called by a woman who reported that she was walking on the sidewalk when, without provocation, Smith threatened her with a knife. The victim called 911 and walked away from Smith without further incident.
Travis T. Williams, 31, of Champaign, was arrested at 4:43 p.m. Monday at an apartment building in the 300 block of East Green Street, Champaign, for burglary and trespassing. Police initially were called by building staff who saw a suspicious person. That person, later identified as Williams, matched the description of the offender from previously reported incidents of a man entering unlocked apartments claiming to be a maintenance employee. When police detained Williams, he was carrying a liquor bottle suspected to have been stolen from an apartment in the building. Williams is not a resident of the building.
Derrick L. Dye, 47, of Urbana, was arrested at 12:08 p.m. Monday near Springfield and Mathews avenues, Urbana, for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving an uninsured vehicle. Police initially were called after Dye’s vehicle was involved in a traffic accident. Dye was evaluated and cleared by medical personnel at the scene of the accident. The other driver initially declined medical assistance but later visited a local hospital.
Armenious T. Griham, 46, of Champaign, was arrested at 12:37 a.m. Monday in the 300 block of East Green Street, Champaign, for burglary and resisting a police officer. Police initially were called by a witness who saw Griham and another person enter an apartment building and steal packages from behind the front desk and a cash register from an attached restaurant. Police found Griham carrying the cash register away from the area, and he initially ran when an officer attempted to stop him. The second suspect was not found. The investigation is ongoing.
Luis G. Avila, 20, of Champaign, was arrested at 6:12 p.m. Monday at Strides, 70 E. Washington St., Champaign, for burglary, identity theft and resisting a police officer. Avila was identified as the person who entered a U. of I. student’s unlocked vehicle between Feb. 3-5 while it was parked in the 200 block of East Green Street, Champaign. Avila allegedly took cash and credit cards from the vehicle, and later used a credit card at a local retailer. He initially ran from police when an officer attempted to stop him Monday.
A U. of I. student reported that the contents of a package had been stolen Jan. 27 from the mail area of his apartment building in the 1000 block of South Fourth Street, Champaign. When the student went to retrieve the package, he found it opened and empty. An estimated value of the stolen items was unavailable.
On Feb. 9, an investigation into a Jan. 1 aggravated battery incident that prompted a Campus Safety Notice was closed. Investigators identified all involved parties and determined that the fight resulted from a verbal argument, not unprovoked as originally reported. No arrests were made.
A U. of I. employee reported that he was struck in the head from behind around 4:09 a.m. Monday while working inside Gregory Hall, 810 S. Wright St., Urbana. The offender left the area quickly. Officers searched the building and surrounding area and did not find anyone. The employee was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The investigation is ongoing.
Please note: Those arrested are presumed innocent until proved guilty, and formal charges may change as cases are adjudicated. For more information about the incidents listed here, please contact the U. of I. Police Department at 217-333-1216 or .