Thursday, September 17, 2009

When smart people do dumb things

This afternoon I was parked in the Jewel-Osco parking lot to make a telephone call, when a large white SUV slowly pulled into the parking place to my left and stopped. I was near the end of an aisle well out from the front of the store, and another parked car was in the second space to my left.

Anyone concerned about personal safety and on "yellow" alert for dangerous circumstances around him would wonder why a car would be pulling in slowly next to him so far from the store. When I looked over, the driver stared and glared at me but said nothing. Nor did he roll down the front-seat passenger window.

I recognized him and greeted him with, "How are you today?" He said nothing.

After about 30 seconds of staring at me, the driver backed out, proceeded to Route 47 and turned north.

The vehicle? A new (or newer) white Chevrolet; larger than a Blazer. Maybe a Tahoe?
License: Illinois passenger plate 196 3705
Driver: Sheriff Keith Nygren!

I called the Woodstock Police Department and requested an officer to take a report. Ofc. Rob Branum arrived and initiated Report No. 09-10866. He said the license plate is not listed to Nygren or to the Sheriff's Department.

As I told Ofc. Branum, the conditions existed for a hit. Had the driver of that vehicle rolled down the passenger window, he could have shot me and driven away. And then Ofc. Branum would have had a really bad night ahead of him, cleaning up a crime scene with no witnesses.

Ofc. Branum asked me Nygren didn't like me. As many readers know, I have disagreed with many actions of deputies of the sheriff's department and raised questions about matters related to the sheriff. I never would have guessed that he would so blatantly approach me and attempt to intimidate me.

Should I go to a McHenry County judge tomorrow morning and request an Order of Protection?

19 comments:

yagottabekidding said...

Wow! your opinion of your place in our small corner of the universe is as overactive as your imagination.

Gus said...

A well-placed McHenry County Republican asked me a couple of months ago if I had a remote start on my car, and the question wasn't in jest.

Anonymous said...

If I went to the police or a judge every time I got a dirty look from someone, I might as well bring a tent and camp there.

Please. Get real, come down off your highhorse, and get a real hobby. You might have fewer health problems that are stress-based as a side-benefit.

Unknown said...

I just read your post about the incident at Jewel. I am writing you via your email instead of through the blog as I feel uncomfortable writing on that post after reading it....and that is terribly sad and unfortunate. I have been reading your blog for about a year probably and honestly, I don’t follow all the posts about the sheriffs office very closely...however I can see where you may have pissed some people off...and that should be and must be something that people should not be afraid to do....hell there is nothing more American than what you are doing. Anyway I am writing this here...to lend you some moral support...and I am sorry that I am too afraid to do it online....no scratch this....I have to post it the blog...there is no other way to do this. Whether your in the right or wrong Gus, you have the right to do what you have been doing....and if you have not provided a great service writing about the happenings in the McHenry County Sheriffs Office...at least it is entertaining.

Ellen said...

Might I suggest that you just carry a camera around with you. The next time he does that and opens the window, holler "say cheese" and take a picture. I doubt that it will happen again.

Gus said...

psalm23cat, this was more than a dirty look. This was intimidation. Only I don't get intimidated.

Just like I didn't several years ago when a State Trooper traveling 70+ in 55 zone got PO'ed when I flashed my headlights at him.

He slowed down, pulled off on the shoulder until I passed, pulled in behind me, tailgated me, then pulled alongside and paced me, then whipped a U-turn through the median.

I reported him to his sergeant, who investigated and confirmed that the Trooper had, indeed, tried to intimidate me. When he assured me that his trooper would never do that again, the matter ended without a formal written complaint, although the sgt. left the door wide open for me to make it.

Gus said...

Ray, thanks for your willingness to post your comment. And, more importantly, thanks for your comment itself!

Gus said...

Ellen, good idea.

Right now I have a Size 9 1/2 D footprint on my backside! I've been kicking myself since 5:00PM.

Unknown said...

So you are calling the Sheriff a smart guy? Then why do you have so much beef with him?

Pamela Whitson said...

The Sheriff has a lot of power . . . I think the State Police should be keeping an eye on him.

Unknown said...

You just happened to pull into the Jewel to make a phone call, yea right.
With your perpensity to take photos, maybe thats what you were there for. Maybe the Sheriff should make a stalking complaint against you Gus. Quit sneaking around trying to get pictures of people and instead, tell us what your qualifications are putzie

Franker said...

What were you doing parking in the back of the lot anyway? I know your allowed to but it might look suspicious...hence why the sheriff would look to see what the wierdo in the back of the lot was doing!
And just like your allowed to park in the back of the lot he is too! He did not commit a crime so why again did you call the police? To waste their time? To keep them from doing something else? So you could drag WPD into your soap opera?

Gus said...

Frank, where did you read that I was parked "in the back of the lot"?

And where do you think a driver should stop to make a cell phone call? In the middle of Route 47?

Anonymous said...

Last time I parked way out in a parking lot was to make a score, or to wring out the spilled liquor on my shirt.

Maybe Nygren was "investigating" you... thinking you might be trying to score some bootleg aspirin or viagra.

Franker said...

Gus, you wrote "I was near the end of an aisle well out from the front of the store"----That would mean towards the back of the lot! No you should not stop in the middle of Rt. 47 but I think there is much more to this...spill the beans gus

yagottabekidding said...

By definition if you were not intimidated it's not intimidation. But it would probably fall under mental illness.

Zane said...

Here's the rest of the story...Keith is a nut. He's losing it. He knew it was Gus in the lot. You douche bag deputies give out Gus' car description every chance you get. Of course he knew. He's seen Gus before. Dirty Keith is so used to being the bully he can't believe someone is standing up to him. Too bad you didn't have your camera Gus. Makes you wish you could carry a weapon. Never know when Sheriff Whack Job or his posse might role up on you.

The best part of this is the election season has only just begun and Dirty Keith is already acting out. Wait till he starts getting hit from all sides. GO GUS GO!!

Martin Penwald said...

"psalm23cat, this was more than a dirty look. This was intimidation. Only I don't get intimidated."

Intimidation reaction takes on many forms, if you were TRULY NOT intimidated you would have never written a post about this.

"Just like I didn't several years ago when a State Trooper traveling 70+ in 55 zone got PO'ed when I flashed my headlights at him.

He slowed down, pulled off on the shoulder until I passed, pulled in behind me, tailgated me, then pulled alongside and paced me, then whipped a U-turn through the median.

I reported him to his sergeant, who investigated and confirmed that the Trooper had, indeed, tried to intimidate me. When he assured me that his trooper would never do that again, the matter ended without a formal written complaint, although the sgt. left the door wide open for me to make it."

From what you explained here, it sounds like he was checking to see if you needed help. Imagine if you were a cop (gods forbid) and you were 'flashed' by a citizen while passing, what would you do, oh, right your job. Check for a citizen in need of help, maybe you were being followed, maybe you needed medical attention, he didn't know, and he investigated it, and made a judgment.

Gus said...

Yeah, right. That's why his sergeant told me that the trooper had admitted to trying to intimidate me. And why the sergeant asked me if I wanted to file a formal complaint.

The fact that the trooper admitted it to his supervisor and the sergeant was straight-up with me, candid and honest was plenty for me to let it end right there.


That kind of honesty doesn't exist around here in cover-up land.