A man and woman were both charged after they allegedly falsely reported the woman’s Audi SUV stolen following a hit-and-run crash in McHenry.
Robert E. Hammontree, 27, of the 1700 block of Highview Avenue in McHenry, was charged with false alarm or complaint to 911, conspiracy and false report of a vehicle theft, which are all felonies.
A second person, Sandra L. Blake, 61, of the 1700 block of Hillside Lane in McHenry, was charged with obstructing justice, a Class 4 felony.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Blake attempted to prevent the arrest of Hammontree when she gave false information to a McHenry police officer about who was in possession of her vehicle.
The vehicle, a 2013 Audi Q5, had been involved in a hit-and-run property damage crash on November 2 near Richmond Road and McCullom Lake Road in McHenry.
When officers tried to stop the Audi, Hammontree, who was driving, quickly accelerated away from officers and fled the vehicle on foot into an apartment building in the 1900 block of Orleans Street in McHenry, court documents said.
Hammontree called 911 and reported the vehicle stolen, a criminal complaint said.
“At the time the call was made, the defendant [Hammontree] knew there were no reasonable grounds for making the call and further knew that the call could result in the emergency response of a public safety agency,” the complaint said.
Blake told a police officer that her vehicle had been left with a man in Lakemoor.
The complaint said that Blake had actually left the vehicle with Hammontree and been in communication with him despite her claims that she did not know Hammontree.
In addition to his felony charges, Hammontree was cited with leaving the scene of a crash, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash and transportation of alcohol by a driver.
Hammontree was released from the McHenry County Jail after posting 10% of his $20,000 bond. Blake was released from police custody on her own recognizance.