Driver who ‘disliked’ police faces charges after striking patrol car
Caption – A 2018 Chevy Camaro, left, allegedly intentionally rammed a Fairview Heights Police Department cruiser, right on Sept. 24. The white SUV in the background was initially pulled over by the officer when the Camaro hit the cruiser. (photo courtesy of the Fairview Heights Police Department)
by Randy Pierce
Four criminal felony charges have been filed by the office of St. Clair County State’s Attorney James F. Gomric against Keajion L. Jennings, 28, of Belleville in connection with the crashing of a car into the rear of a Fairview Heights Police Department vehicle on Sept. 24.
A Fairview Heights Police Department officer, who had observed an expired (five years old) state license plate sticker on the back of another vehicle on Old Collinsville Road conducted a traffic stop of that vehicle about a quarter-mile south of Frank Scott Parkway in Swansea.
After that officer had exited the police unit, which was fully marked as being part of the Fairview Heights Police Department, with its emergency lights flashing, and was walking toward the vehicle with the expired sticker, a dark gray 2018 Chevrolet Camaro struck the police vehicle from behind, causing major damage to both.
The impact was so strong, police said, that the squad “car” and the civilian one that had been pulled over for the expired sticker were pushed together.
A police report about the incident indicated the driver, later identified as Jennings, quickly exited from the Camaro and approached the officer, whose body camera had been activated, admitting he had consumed alcohol and “weed gummies” while also saying he purposely drove into the back of the police vehicle because he does not like police officers.
Illinois State Police officers were summoned to conduct an investigation, to ensure impartiality, then Jennings was arrested and transported to St. Clair County Jail in Belleville where he was being held as of earlier this week.
Neither the two occupants of the vehicle stopped by police nor the officer were injured and it appeared from the body camera footage released by police that Jennings additionally was not hurt.
The charges against Jennings include two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one each of criminal damage to government property and aggravated battery with a motor vehicle. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
A hearing concerning the continued detention of Jennings had been set for Sept. 29, before Judge Sara Rice in St. Clair County Circuit Court in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Clerk documents indicate Jennings was charged in November 2023, as handled by the O’Fallon Police Department, with robbery, aggravated battery in a public place, two counts of resisting a peace officer and aggravated fleeing of police. Concerning this case, a series of conferences, hearings, continuances, reviews and legal motions have resulted in a court hearing date of Oct. 14, 2025.
