THREE ARRESTED IN ARMED ROBBERY ATTEMPT (UPDATE)

Three people were arrested early Wednesday morning after an attempted armed robbery in the parking lot behind a Greenville business. Officers responded to a 9-1-1 call at 12:07am concerning an armed robbery in the lot behind the Greenville Dairy Queen. Two men in ski masks allegedly approached the store's assistant manager and demanded money. The employee reported that a gun was displayed by one of the robbers. City police told WGEL that the victim was struck in the face with the fist of one of the men.

After taking an undisclosed amount of money from the employee, the two men fled on foot. Police chief Lou Lorton confirmed that they believe the robbers were then picked up by a third man in a car. The Bond County Sheriff's Department was quickly contacted to assist in locating any suspicious vehicles. Minutes later, a Bond County deputy spotted a car traveling southbound on 6th Street allegedly at a high rate of speed. Deputy Dan Thomilson followed the vehicle for a short distance before conducting a traffic stop on Old National Trail near Rocky Mountain Avenue. Arrested were 20-year-old Barton Davis, 19-year-old Jason McCullough, and 19-year-old Brandon Stewart for alleged attempted armed robbery. Each man has a listed address of Holtwick Hall on the Greenville College campus. The arrest occurred just ten minutes after police received the call about the robbery.

Robyn Florian, a spokesperson for Greenville College issued this statement Wednesday afternoon. "We do not condone this incident and are cooperating with local authorities in any way we can. We love this community and the position Dairy Queen holds in it. We feel badly about what the employee may have experienced because of this incident."

The following charges were filed in the Bond County Courthouse. 20-year old Barton S. Davis, 19-year-old Jason T. McCullough, and 20-year old Brandon T. Stewart were all charged with two counts each of alleged Aggravated Robbery. McCullough was also charged with one count of Aggravated Battery for allegedly using his hand to strike the victim in the face. Stewart was also charged with one count of alleged Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bail for each man was set at $100,000.

MADIGAN FILES THIRD LAWSUIT

Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit alleging two out of state companies obtained and sold the phone records of Illinois residents without their knowledge or consent. Madigan's suit names the defendants as Advanced Research, Inc. and ARI-Advanced, LLC. These two companies are not licensed to do business in Illinois. The lawsuit alleges that in order to access consumers' wireless and landline telephone records, the defendants' agents falsely represented themselves as account holders or as agents or employees of a cell phone company. They also allegedly tried to gain unauthorized computer access to records. In January and March of this year Madigan filed two lawsuits against other companies that allegedly used similar, illegal means to access phone records. The defendants are charged with multiple violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Madigan's lawsuit asks the court to prohibit the defendants from advertising, offering for sale and selling telephone records or other private records and from further violating Illinois' consumer protection laws. The lawsuit seeks a civil penalty of $50,000 and additional penalties of $50,000 for each violation found to have been committed with the intent to defraud. Madigan's lawsuit also asks the court to order the defendants to pay for all costs for the investigation and prosecution of this case.

DON'T MISS OUT ON THE WGEL COLGATE COUNTRY SHOWDOWN THIS FRIDAY

A Vandalia woman has been charged in Fayette County court after she allegedly stabbed a man she was living with. Vandalia police told WGEL that 26-year-old Tracey Brown was charged with Attempted First Degree Murder and Aggravated Battery after she allegedly stabbed 27-year-old Shane Clift around 3am Sunday. The incident took place during an argument at their residence in Vandalia. An investigation by Vandalia police determined that Brown had allegedly stabbed Clift in the sternum with a steak knife and then went to the kitchen to retrieve a second knife. Police told WGEL that at that point Clift was taken to the Fayette County Hospital in Vandalia by someone else who was at the residence. He was treated and released. Vandalia police said Clift told them that he had allegedly been stabbed one other time by Brown but decided not to report it to police. Brown was being held at the Fayette County Jail on $100,000 bond.

The Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation protecting private property from being seized by local government for economic development recently. According to State Representative Ron Stephens Senate Bill 3086 prevents state or local government from using eminent domain powers to seize families' homes and land to sell to a private developer. Senate Bill 3086 prohibits all takings under the power of eminent domain for private development unless the area in questions meets at least 5 of 13 criteria set forth for designation as a "Blighted Area", which include dilapidation, deterioration, inadequate utilities and lack of ventilation, light or sanitary facilities. Stephens said the legislation also includes additional property owner protections in eminent domain cases, specifying that the property owners are entitled to compensation for attorney fees, relocation costs, and costs to move their business. Senate Bill 3086 now moves back to the Senate for concurrence on an amendment.