Police Officer Jeremy John Hubbard

Jeremy John Hubbard

Officer Jeremy Hubbard was killed during a pursuit of a pickup truck whose driver was suspected of diesel gas theft at 6:40 pm from a service station in Staunton in Macoupin County.

After Benld and Gillespie police officers had both terminated their pursuits, Officer Hubbard observed the vehicle without license plates traveling on North First Street at 8:00 pm and attempted to make a traffic stop. Officer Hubbard pursued the vehicle about 15 miles when his patrol car went out of control and overturned in a cornfield on Illinois Route 128, a mile south of U.S. 40, near Altamont in Effingham County.

Officer Hubbard had been ejected from the patrol car and was airlifted to Greenville Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. An officer trainee, who was riding with Officer Hubbard, was injured but survived.

The suspect fled the scene and surrendered three days later to the Howard County, Maryland, Police Department. He refused to tell officers why he was turning himself in, but investigators were able to link him to the pursuit. He was extradited to Illinois and charged with reckless homicide and three counts of aggravated fleeing a police officer.

Officer Hubbard had served with the Cowden Police Department as one of its two part-time officers for four years and also served as a part-time deputy with the Effingham County Sheriff's Department for eight months. He was survived by his wife, 8- and 13-year-old sons, sister, mother and grandmother.