St. Elmo man sentenced to 32 years’ imprisonment after he shot a rifle at federal agents

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a St. Elmo man to 32 years in federal prison after he shot at law enforcement agents serving an arrest warrant at his residence in Fayette County.

Dax Baldrige, 47, pleaded guilty in January to seven counts of assault of a federal officer, two counts of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Following imprisonment, he will serve five years of supervised release.

“Law enforcement officers are brave, underappreciated, and underpaid heroes who risk their lives every day to protect others,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Those, like Dax Baldrige, who target our officers for violence represent a form of evil against the very foundation of society. Few things are as serious, and our office will bring the full weight of federal law to bear, relentlessly pursuing the harshest prison terms to hold such people accountable.”

On Oct. 17, 2022, task force members with the U.S. Marshals Service attempted to serve an arrest warrant for Baldrige at his residence in Fayette County. When they arrived, the officers knocked and gave Baldrige an opportunity to present himself for arrest.

As they began to make entry to the residence, Baldrige used a stolen short barrel rifle equipped with 60 rounds of ammunition to shoot through the wall of his residence, nearly striking multiple officers. All agents were able to retreat from the residence safely and without injury.   

“We are pleased that this case has been adjudicated. We want to thank the Illinois State Police, the ATF, and all our partner agencies for their steadfast commitment to our mission. We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Illinois, who successfully prosecuted this case and brought it to a successful conclusion,” said U.S. Marshal David C. Davis. “This case continues to illustrate the inherent dangers of this profession, and we continue to be grateful that none of our task force members were injured during the arrest of Baldrige.”

After firing at officers, Baldrige barricaded himself in his residence and engaged in a standoff with law enforcement that lasted over 10 hours. 

“The defendant’s decision to open fire on law enforcement showed a blatant disregard for human life and the safety of the surrounding community. This sentence sends a clear message—violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated. ATF is grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who assisted in bringing this individual to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon, ATF Chicago Field Division.

Following his arrest, investigating agents conducted a search of Baldrige’s residence and recovered nine firearms including six rifles, a revolver, two pistols and ammunition.

"When law enforcement officers, who have selflessly taken an oath to safeguard the public, are literally fired upon while trying to protect communities from known offenders, those individuals must be held accountable," said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.  "We appreciate the U.S. Attorney's Office's diligence in pursuing justice and supporting officers who put their lives on the line every day."

“When someone opens fire on law enforcement, they're not just attacking an individual; they're attacking the very foundation of our community's safety and security,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher J.S. Johnson. “The sentence imposed sends an unequivocal message: such aggression against those who protect us will be met with the full force of justice.”

The U.S. Marshal Service Great Lakes Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the Illinois State Police, the FBI Springfield TOC West Task Force and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Arshi prosecuted the case.

Busiest roadside mowing period underway statewide

Schedule timed to protect pollinators; stay alert for workers, equipment

SPRINGFIELD – With peak roadside mowing season underway, the Illinois Department of Transportation is reminding the public to slow down, proceed with caution and pay extra attention when encountering equipment and personnel. In keeping with the recent practice of timing operations to preserve and promote pollinator habitat, the heaviest mowing period will continue until Aug. 15.

 “By strategically scheduling when and where mowing takes place, IDOT is doing its part to help the environment and Illinois businesses,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “We need your assistance as well. Please be alert for mowing crews who work hard up and down the state, slowing down and giving them plenty of extra distance.” ​ ​ ​

 During the summer, IDOT conducts two primary types of mowing. Safety mowing occurs directly adjacent to the road as needed. Maintenance mowing, which lasts for approximately six weeks and starts around July 1, includes areas next to culverts, ditches, traffic control devices and other structures, while following the Illinois Monarch Project Mowing Guidelines for Pollinators, protecting as much habitat and nectar resources as possible.

 The mowing schedule helps to minimize the impact on the traveling public and encourage pollinator activity, which assists in the reproduction of flowers, fruits and vegetables that are essential to the state’s ecosystem and agricultural economy. Reducing the amount of land maintained and growing pollinator habitat also protects the endangered rusty patched bumble bee and the monarch butterfly, the official state insect of Illinois.

 To view a short video about IDOT’s mowing schedules and its work with pollinators, click here or visit IDOT’s YouTube channel.

 In 2020, IDOT joined in the launch of the Illinois Monarch Action Plan as part of the Illinois Monarch Project, a collaborative effort with local and state partners to help ensure the survival and successful migration of monarchs by increasing and protecting habitat.

Trump’s ‘big bill’ takes center stage in Illinois’ U.S. Senate race

Democratic candidates want Illinoisans to ‘understand the ripple effects’ of cuts

By BEN SZALINSKI
Capitol News Illinois
bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com 

Article summary

• The three Democrats running for Illinois’ open Senate seat voiced concerns about the new domestic policy plan at events around Illinois.

• Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton discussed how SNAP cuts will affect Illinois at an event in Chicago. 

• Rep. Robin Kelly spoke with voters in Peoria about their concerns with federal spending cuts.

• Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi met with central Illinois independent pharmacist owners to highlight how spending cuts could hurt health care in rural areas. 

This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story. 

PEORIA – With major future cuts to social service programs now written into law, Democrats seeking Illinois’ open U.S. Senate seat in 2026 are hitting the campaign trail seeking to position themselves among the law’s most vocal opponents. 

“We want Illinoisians throughout our state to understand the ripple effects of the Trump administration’s cruelty and be prepared for what’s to come,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said during a panel discussion at the Greater Chicago Food Depository Thursday. 

The federal policy bill, dubbed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” signed by President Donald Trump on July 4 will slash federal spending for health care and other human service programs over the next several years, in many cases leaving states to pick up the tab if they are to continue providing benefits. The bill is expected to cost Illinois more than $700 million for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, cut Medicaid spending in Illinois by $48 billion over the next 10 years, and potentially force some rural hospitals to close. 

As Illinois’ 2026 candidates prepare to begin circulating nominating petitions next month, the three Democrats vying for retiring Sen. Dick Durbin’s Senate seat met with residents around the state to hear about the local impacts of the bill and rally support for their campaigns. 

Stratton held an official state event in Chicago to discuss the Pritzker administration’s response to SNAP changes, while U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi visited downstate communities to discuss the bill. 

Kelly gets feedback in Peoria

Kelly, who represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District across parts of Chicago, the south suburbs and rural eastern Illinois, visited with voters in Peoria to hear their concerns about the bill. 

The Bradly University graduate said her goal is to make sure Americans are aware of the bill’s effects – even though many of them are slated to begin after the 2026 midterm election. 

ROBIN KELLY

“In polling and different things that we’ve done, half of the population doesn’t even realize what’s going on,” Kelly said. 

Kelly played up her relationship with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, saying she has been part of a coalition of House Democrats that have been traveling the country holding town hall meetings about federal spending cuts. 

“Every group that we can speak in front of, we need to speak in front of,” Kelly said. “And so that’s one of the reason’s we’re traveling.” 

Krishnamoorthi visits rural pharmacy 

Krishnamoorthi, who represents the 8th Congressional District in the northwest suburbs, visited a pharmacy in Petersburg about 30 minutes northwest of Springfield. 

He echoed concerns other Illinois Democrats have expressed about the “large, lousy law” cutting Medicaid and that it could limit health care services in rural communities. 

Read more: Illinois hospitals fear massive cuts under Trump domestic policy law

“When you have that many people who all of a sudden don't have a way of paying for their health care, then it hurts all those rural health care providers that depend on Medicaid as a form of payment for so many of their patients,” Krishnamoorthi said. 

Krishnamoorthi also worried about domino effects from growing deficits as a result of the bill, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will increase by more than $3 trillion. According to the nonpartisan health research organization KFF, the growing deficit could trigger automatic spending cuts, which could force Medicare cuts even though it was not reduced in the bill. 

“We're also talking about seniors who could be affected by Medicare cuts,” Krishnamoorthi said. “And so at the end of the day, however, everybody's going to be affected because if, God forbid, one of these hospitals in these areas in the rural parts of Illinois are closed, then everyone, regardless of how their health care is paid for, would be affected negatively.” 

SNAP cuts worry candidates

Stratton did not hit the campaign trail with any public events this week, but the Pritzker administration must now decide how it will proceed with new spending requirements signed by the president and the effects of fewer residents receiving social service benefits. 

JULIANA STRATTON

Stratton and other top Pritzker administration officials discussed the impact of cuts to the SNAP program during a panel discussion at the Greater Chicago Food Depository as the state seeks more immediate solutions that lawmakers could approve before the 2026 election. The lieutenant governor, who resides on Chicago’s South Side, said reducing eligibility for a food program exacerbates other issues such as crime, economic productivity and learning in schools. 

“Hunger is not a problem that stays isolated,” Stratton said. “The repercussions seep out, harming everyone and everything in its path until something changes.” 

Kelly told voters in Peoria that SNAP cuts aren’t just a problem for low-income recipients.

“If you cannot buy food, then you’re not shopping at Kroger or wherever you shop,” Kelly said. “And so then Kroger is not buying as much food from the farmers and then they won’t need as many people to work there.”

The Republican field in the Senate race has yet to take shape. Republican Rep. Darin LaHood from the Peoria area held a virtual townhall with 16th Congressional District voters to discuss why he believes the bill will benefit Illinois.  

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

Lane closures planned for U.S. 41 in Vanderburgh and Gibson Counties

VANDERBURGH/GIBSON COUNTY Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces alternating lane closures for U.S. 41 in Vanderburgh and Gibson Counties.

Beginning on or around Tuesday, July 8, crews will begin alternating lane closures along U.S. 41 between Evansville and Princeton. These lane closures will occur between State Road 57 near Evansville and County Road 300 South near Princeton.

These alternating lane closures will allow drainage ditch maintenance operations along various locations on U.S. 41. Lane closures will occur where work is being performed. Work is expected to take a month to complete, depending on the weather.

Lane closures will occur in both north and southbound lanes of travel. One lane of traffic will remain open in work zones.INDOTurges drivers to slow down and stay alert in work zones.

WANTED FUGITIVE DONALD “SCOTT” BAIRD TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

On 07.09.25, the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office apprehended wanted fugitive Donald “Scott” Baird, age 54, without incident.

Acting on a tip, deputies responded to the 200 block of West 1st Street in Mount Carmel. At approximately 2109 hours, Baird was located and taken into custody as he attempted to evade law enforcement by hiding once again.

Baird was transported to the Wabash County Jail, where he was served with the outstanding warrant in Wabash County Case #25-CF-22, charging him with failure to report to a penal institution.

Baird had previously been re-sentenced to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on May 12, 2025, and was ordered to report to the Wabash County Jail by May 14, 2025. He failed to comply and had been actively avoiding authorities since. With a known history of fleeing law enforcement, his capture was a top priority for the Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Morgan expressed appreciation for the public’s assistance and commended the efforts of the deputies involved.

“This arrest is a direct result of community cooperation and swift response by our deputies,” said Sheriff Morgan. “Let this serve as a reminder that failure to comply with court orders will not be ignored.”

Baird is currently being held at the Wabash County Jail pending transfer to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Mt. Carmel Man Jailed On Domestic Battery Charge

On 7/05/25, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Charles C. Brown, age 46, of Mt. Carmel, for Domestic Battery following a domestic dispute at a residence in the 1900 block of N Cherry Street.  Officers were called to the scene to investigate, at which time they found evidence indicating Brown had pushed his girlfriend into the refrigerator, against the wall, and spat on her during the argument.  Brown was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail, where he was charged and held pending a pre-trial release determination by the court.

Olney Man Arrested On FTA Warrant By MCPD

On 7/06/25, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Robbie L. Clark, age 42, of Olney, for a Richland County, Illinois, Warrant on Failure to Appear-DUI.  Police were called to conduct a welfare check in the 1400 block of College Drive regarding a male subject lying on the ground.  After confirming the individual was ok, officers learned of the warrant, resulting in his arrest.  Clark was transported to the Wabash County Jail, where he was issued the warrant and later released with a new court date. 

Sex Offender Arrested On New Charges

On 7/07/25, Mt. Carmel Police arrested James C. Miller, age 48, of Mt. Carmel on 2 counts of Failure to Register-Sex Offender for failing to report his use of the social media applications “Discord” and “Twitch” as part of his sex offender registry requirements.  Further investigation resulted in additional charges of 2 counts of Attempted Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse and 1 count of Unlawful Dissemination of a Private Sexual Image.  Due to the nature of the last two alleged offenses, no further information will be released.  Miller was transported to the Wabash County Jail, where he was charged and held pending the court's determination of pre-trial release.

Fight Over Woman Results In Charges For Mt. Carmel Man

On 6/25/25, at approximately 930 p.m., Mt. Carmel Police arrested Darrin D. Rumsey, age 24, of Mt. Carmel for Aggravated Battery following a dispute between two males over a female.  Officers were called to the area of 7th & Pear Street, where they received information that Rumsey had punched the male in the face, who was seated in a vehicle with the female, while on the property of the Mt. Carmel Library.  The alleged victim, and female, had left the area and was reportedly near the area of 9th & Poplar, where officers responded to and located them.  After speaking to involved witnesses, the alleged victim was allowed to sign a complaint against Rumsey for Aggravated Battery.  Rumsey was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail, where he was charged and held pending the court's determination of pre-trial release.

Mt. Carmel Woman Picked Up On DUI Charge

On 6/17/25, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Daisy A. Cordle, age 19, of Mt. Carmel for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by Minor following a traffic stop on a 2011 Chrysler on Park Road & Poor Farm Road.  While speaking to the driver, identified as Cordle, the officer became suspicious that she may be under the influence of alcohol.  The officer requested Cordle to submit to a roadside sobriety check in which she agreed.  During the sobriety testing, the officer noted several clues to indicate impairment due to alcohol.  Cordle was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail.  Upon arrival, Cordle was processed for DUI, issued the above charges, and released on a Notice to Appear.