Bond increased in fatal hit-and-run case

Posted on July 12, 2019
Jose Rodriguez must post $100,035 to be released from custody on the criminal charges. (Bloomington Police Department)

By Greg Halbleib

BLOOMINGTON – With federal immigration agents waiting, bond was increased ten-fold for a man charged in connection with last month’s hit-and-run death of a motorcyclist in Bloomington.

Judge William Yoder increased the bond for Jose Rodriguez, 27, to $1 million Friday morning, citing the hold by the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Rodriguez must post $100,035 to be released. He is in custody on the McLean County charges, including a felony charge of failure to report an accident involving death.

Rodriguez appeared at Friday’s arraignment with his attorney, Chris Gramm of Bloomington, and pleaded not guilty. Rodriguez is accused of driving a van without a license and disobeying a red light at Main Street and MacArthur Avenue on June 22, striking a motorcycle driven by Corey Cottrell, 39, of Normal who later died of his injuries. Rodriguez turned himself in to police the next day, then posted $10,035 cash three days later and was released.

Although ICE agents were present during the hearing, Rodriguez was not released to them but was returned to the McLean County Jail on the criminal charges. Gramm represents Rodriguez in the criminal case and said after the hearing Rodriguez will likely also hire an immigration attorney. Gramm said he understands that Rodriguez is a native of Honduras and has been living in Bloomington with relatives for more than five years.

The next court hearing in the case is Aug. 27.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected]. 

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…