A comment has been posted about an off-duty traffic stop by a McHenry County Sheriff’s deputy. The person posting the comment wrote:
“I know of what happened in the situation. I know details.
”This Deputy followed her to work, harrassed her at her job twice, and issued the TWO tickets TWO days later- only after he tailgated her wrecklessly throughout McHenry at 3:30am (morning of the issued tickets)! He came into her work a second time to personally hand her the tickets at 6:30am!
”She never knew the reason for being pulled over or what the tickets were for until they were handed to her!
”No license check... didn't run the license plate... no call into dispatch... no dash-cam... NO ONE knew of the traffic stop EXCEPT for Brucketta and her. General Orders were disobeyed and that is why there is an investigation......
”Why was she "scared"??? Intimidation two days after the traffic stop just 3 hours before recieving the tickets...”
There is no way that this should be handled only as an "internal." By doing so, it only gets swept under the table and kept out of public view.
These actions require charges, arrest and all the standard procedures that follow, such as booking in, prints, photo, bond, prosecution and court appearances.
Surely, the Sheriff won't let something like this slide, after firing a deputy who couldn't run fast enough or do enough sit-ups after years on the job.
Anyone care to list the offenses (crimes) committed here?
You never know who is interested…
4 months ago
14 comments:
In due time and in the proper venue the list will be revealed.
I don't believe that the "Internal Investigation" will do anything. The complaint was filed shortly after the incident (February) and there has been no further "communication" from the Sheriffs Department. I believe it was swept under the table the day the investigation was opened. It is just sad, very sad. She is an Outstanding citizen with no Criminal History- an Excellent Driving Record, with a Degree in Criminal Justice. The Department she once wanted to be a part of- she has no interest in wanting anything to do with.
Brucketta pulled her over because she switched lanes in front of him. It was later said when the tickets were issued that "she didn't use her turn-signal" and "she must have been speeding" (ticket was for 1-10 over the posted speed limit) but he didn't have it on radar! He stated that he "paced" her. Even so, Is the Spedometer Certified in the K-9 Tahoes? She was pulled over 2 1/2 miles down the road....how come he didn't pull her over right away if he felt she was driving wrecklessly? Does he really have to issue tickets off-duty in order to make his quota?
Either way, the traffic stop was bogus. I know that when I see a McHenry County Deputy such as Brucketta- to tuck my tail and hide... Who knows what I could be pulled over for...and if the traffic stop is real...(uniformed deputy, license check, runnning the plates, dispatch notified, etc). Deputies like Brucketta make all the Deputies look bad, I know for sure there are a few great Deputies on the Department... It's jsut sad some "Harrass and Intimidate" rather than "Serve and Protect".......
If the tickets were issued in February, she must have had one or more court dates by now. What happened in court?
Anyone who knows her, please ask her to contact me. I can help her get in touch with outside agencies that will be very interested in her statement. If the sheriff's department itself doesn't bring charges in a case like this, then the State's Attorney, the State Police, and/or the Attorney General ought to be investigating.
Also, anyone else with similar complaints can contact me.
Only by getting this information out in public will these problems come to a halt.
How did he initiate the traffic stop?
No in-car video? So he didn't use his overheads? Either when stopped her or after he stopped her?
Why did she stop, if he didn't use his overheads?
What shift was he on, since he was on the road in a squad car at 3:30AM? Did anyone trace his activities earlier in the night?
I will let her know to get in contact with you- what would she do, email you?
She had 2 court dates. One she pled "not guilty" and went to trial.
At the second court date, she had a lawyer "Bill Bligh".
He failed to prove her case and she was found guilty on both tickets. $10 each, both with court fines and 120 days Supervision.
The lawyer didn't mention anything of the traffic stop. He didn't even try to defend her and the judge made his decision quickly.
He did use his overheads, but it just so happened that the K-9 Tahoe (?) he was driving didn't have a dash cam installed.
He worked the 10pm-630am shift, but at the time of the traffic stop he was returning from K9 Training Classes.
The facts I have posted are all Confirmed through the Sheriffs Department.
Yes, she can email me from this site or directly to Gus@WoodstockAdvocate.com. Or she can call me at 815-338-2666 (fax will be on, if I'm not home) or at 847-971-7083.
Who needs a lawyer for that kind of legal representation? Could be a case for the ARDC.
If there was a trial, the deputy would have had to be there. Why didn't her lawyer ask how the traffic stop was initiated and whether the deputy was in uniform or on- or off-duty? In fact, the prosecutor should have asked those questions to form the basis for the traffic stop!
She might have legal steps still available - either an appeal or possibly to get the conviction vacated and have a new trial.
The court costs were probably $150-200 per ticket. But the principle is more important!
A K-9 training class until 2:30-3:00AM. Oh, really?
So, why wouldn't he have been on duty, if he worked 10:00PM-6:30AM?
And, if he used his overheads, why didn't he call the stop into Dispatch? And write tickets right then?
Do have her call me.
Wasn't Bruketta also involved with arresting that elderly couple that ended up in the hospital all beat up? Pavlins, wasn't there an article written about that? What goes around comes around, I think it's finally coming around.
The answers to your questions are 1) Yes, and 2) No.
The Northwest Herald never carried a story. Not sure why not. Two senior citizens injured? And no story?
I never wrote about the Pavlins. I met Mr. Pavlin, and he was ready to talk to me. I guessed he would have an attorney. When he told me who his attorney was, I suggested he get the OK from his attorney before talking to me. His attorney prefers that I not publish anything about the events of that night until the criminal cases against Mr. and Mrs. Pavlin are concluded. These folks, in their 70s, were arrested for Resisting Arrest.
The Pavlin cases (one is 08CF00233) have been continued until August. They are definitely NOT on the back burner.
2/14/09 at 10:30am she was on her way to work and was pulled over by Deputy Bruketta.
2/16/09 at 3:30am she was on her way to work once again, she pulled into the IHOP parking lot in order to check for something and Bruketta spotted her. When she pulled out onto rte. 120 (traveling West) he tailgated her for 3 miles. When someone looks into their rear-view mirror and can't see the vehicles headlights that's behind them- there's a problem! A Deputy took advantage of his position and used Intimidation to scare her. I thought it was their job to get the iddiots off the road? Not become one themselves.......?
This deputy was also involved in the fight at the bar in Crystal Lake. Your article "Bar Fight, Cops Not Called" from April talks about it. At least an internal was conducted this time. With the bar fight it was swept away and he was promoted to K9. Over a lot of more qualified deputies I might add. Upper brass loves him because he makes more arrests than anyone else, questionable arrests at best. All the good deputies are too afraid to speak out. The guy is a lawsuit waiting to happen. And the taxpayers will be footing the bill.
Unfortunately, she has heard nothing back about the Investigation. She isn't sure if it is "open" or "closed" or what the outcome of the complaint was. She was assured that something would be done about it because of the fact that he Disobeyed General Orders. She is quiet about the situation because she's scared to do something about it! She knows her rights but going against a big department is difficult.
The tickets are the only things that prove a traffic stop ever took place... Why can't they see that!!! There is something wrong with that department!
Maybe this was just swept under the table too?
It's also important to recognize the traffic violations that took place. Following too closely. Aggressive driving.
Some things can be addressed internally. Others cry out for charges under the Traffic or Criminal Code. It's probably too late this time to file charges, but it might not be.
It's always hard for the public to find out the results of complaints, because a department will hide behind "confidentiality" and "personnel matters".
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