Deputy Sheriff Nicholas D. Weist
Officer: Knox County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Sheriff Nicholas D. Weist
Date: 4/29/2022 Location: Henry County, IL FACTORS (1,2,4,8,11,12,13,14,19,21)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Daylon K. Richardson
Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Richardson was convicted for vehicular hijacking in 2017 and on March 9, 2022 he was arrested for unlawful possession of weapons by a felon and aggravated fleeing/attempting to elude a police officer, both felonies. / Yes, Richardson was illegally in possession of a firearm and was fleeing police – just as he had a month earlier.
Mental Illness: A psychiatrist diagnosed Richardson with “bipolar affective disorder type II, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: White/Male/22
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At approximately 8 a.m. on April 29, 2022, Galesburg Police Officers responded to a 911 call of an armed male at a gas station. Upon arrival the officers located the man, Daylon Richardson in a vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
Actions taken by subject toward police: Richardson refused to comply with the officers and fled from them in his vehicle and running red lights while trying to elude them.
Reactions by the police: Up ahead anticipating Richardson’s path, Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Weist exited his patrol vehicle and set up spike strips. Richardson purposely drove his vehicle into Deputy Weist, killing him as he was in the road deploying the spike strips. Shortly afterwards Richardson crashed his vehicle and fled on foot for a brief pursuit before being caught by the police.
How murdered? Deputy Weist was fatally run over by a fleeing felon in a vehicular pursuit.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? In order to ensure the spike strips are in the right place, the deputy usually must deploy them just moments before the suspect vehicle arrives, putting him/herself in a very vulnerable position.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Yes, the deputy would have been justified to shoot at Richardson as soon as he steered his vehicle at him but given the high rate of speed typically associated with such pursuits – it would have been very difficult to do so effectively in time.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Richardson was arrested near the scene and has been charged with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and aggravated fleeing and eluding.
Miscellaneous: Richardson was out on $80K bail from his arrest a month earlier. Evidence indicates Richardson fired the weapon in his possession during the pursuit before running over Deputy Weist.
