Meshi A. Miller, 23, of Zion, (inset) is facing felony charges for obstructing justice and making false 911 calls while police were trying to arrest him at the Sheridan Motel in Zion on December 11 and 12. | Background Photo: Google Street View; Inset: Provided

A man wanted on warrants allegedly made multiple false 911 calls to try and distract police who had surrounded a motel in Zion and were attempting to arrest him.

Meshi A. Miller, 23, of Zion, was charged with false alarm to 911 and obstructing justice by leaving state, both Class 4 felonies.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said Miller and another person were learned to be staying at the Sheridan Motel, 3412 Sheridan Road in Zion.

Miller had several active warrants for his arrest and officers arrived at the motel on the evening of December 11.

They saw Miller going into room #2, McConnell said. The motel rooms have one window and one door, which faces the parking lot.

Officers knocked on room #2 and announced that Miller had active warrants.

They also tried calling the room but no one answered, McConnell said. Officers surrounded the room and waited for Miller to come out.

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After officers stood by for several hours, 911 dispatch received several calls from a cell phone.

The caller attempted to disguise himself using a Spanish accent and told dispatch that people ran from the motel and one of them was the person that officers were looking for, McConnell said.

Officers confirmed there had been no movement from the motel rooms because they had been watching.

Another 911 call was received reporting that a suspect with a rifle ran into room #5. Officers knew room #5 was vacant because Miller had just moved from that room to room #2, McConnell said.

A third 911 call was received reporting a crime and a police sergeant got onto the line but the caller hung up at that point. The call was tracked to where Miller had been hiding, McConnell said.

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Miller finally exited the next day at 9 a.m. and admitted he knew officers were there but he did not want to turn himself in.

Miller pleaded guilty to criminal trespass to land in a 2022 Lake County case and received probation. He failed to comply with the terms of his probation and a warrant was issued after he failed to appear in court, McConnell said.

He was arrested on the warrant and released on May 31 with a next court date of June 27.

McConnell said Miller began threatening an ex-girlfriend with gun violence. He was then charged with electronic harassment but released again.

Another warrant was issued after he failed to appear in court for the two matters on June 27.

Miller is also a material witness in an attempted murder case in Lake County where he is the victim after having been shot in the neck, McConnell said.

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A subpoena was issued for Miller to appear in court on June 7 but he failed to appear in court. The state’s attorney’s office obtained a body attachment order.

Following Miller’s arrest at the Sheridan Motel in Zion on December 12, he was transported to the Lake County Jail and prosecutors filed a petition to revoke his pre-trial release.

A hearing was held on December 13 where prosecutors, for unknown reasons, withdrew their request to have his release revoked and instead filed a sanction petition to have him serve a 30-day jail sentence.

Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the request and sentenced Miller to 29 days in jail as a sanction with no good time credit.

Miller is set to appear in court again on January 9 for an arraignment hearing on his new charges.