An 18-year-old man will be held prior to trial for his alleged role in the death of a 70-year-old man at a tow yard in Peoria on June 9.
Terrance Shaw was charged with first-degree murder Friday along with 16-year-old Jaylen Polnitz in the death of William Collier of Bartonville at Billie Jo’s Towing in the 1500 block of West Lincoln Avenue. During a detention hearing Monday, Peoria County Circuit Judge Mark Gilles said that there weren’t any conditions that would mitigate the danger of Shaw being released before trial.
Gilles said that both he and Polnitz had taken “brazen and audacious” actions that led to Collier’s death, stealing a vehicle in broad daylight from the tow yard with employees present. He mentioned that Shaw’s actions were “horrific,” not showing any sort of regard for other human life.
During the hearing, Peoria County Assistant State’s Attorney Terry Muench said that on the afternoon of June 9, police were called to the tow yard in response to a stolen vehicle. Officers arrived to find Collier injured. He was hospitalized and died a short while later.
Surveillance footage obtained by Peoria police from the tow yard showed Shaw and Polnitz leaving an Alfa Romeo that was also stolen, walking toward the business. The pair feigned a return to their vehicle, only to run into the tow yard and into a Genesis parked on the lot.
They attempted to leave as employees tried to close the gate to pen them inside. However, the footage showed the pair speed up and ran through the gate, causing Collier’s injuries.
That footage was shown in court Monday afternoon, with Muench saying that Shaw had a lengthy juvenile delinquency history, filled with burglaries and stolen vehicles on his record. Gilles also made note of that record when ruling in favor of the state’s petition.
Peoria County Assistant Public Defender Carole Parker argued that even though Shaw had plenty of juvenile crimes, he was able to make all of his court appearances. In addition, she noted that Shaw did have family in the area.
Polnitz and Shaw appeared in separate hearings Monday due to the former’s status as a juvenile, with many of the same facts repeated in each case. Shaw, however, was the driver of the vehicle. Polnitz was a passenger in the Genesis stolen from the tow yard.
Gilles decided not to hold Polnitz prior to trial, saying that Polnitz wouldn’t have known that Shaw was going to drive in such a reckless manner. Gilles noted Polnitz simply being in the vehicle wouldn’t be enough to detain him.
Polnitz had conditions placed on him, such as having to wear an ankle monitor, not having any firearms and not leaving the state without notifying the court. He will also have a curfew placed on him and must remain in the custody of his legal guardian at all times.
Both are set for arraignment on July 10 at 1:30 p.m., with Circuit Judge Stephen Kouri presiding over matters. If convicted, both could face up to 60 years in prison.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: ‘Brazen’ and ‘horrific’: Peoria man will remain jailed in tow yard employee’s death
Reporting by Zach Roth, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
