On June 14, 2021, at approximately 2:54 p.m., Champaign Police responded to the 1700 block of Paula Drive for the report of a vehicle-pedestrian incident with injuries. Upon arrival, officers quickly learned a male suspect intentionally left the roadway in an attempt to strike two females. One female evaded injury while the other was struck and sustained life-threatening injuries. The victim has been transported to a local hospital.
The preliminary investigation indicates a 50-year-old male, identified as Stephen Booker, of Champaign, targeted two female pedestrians, striking one, before wrecking his vehicle a few hundred yards away. After crashing the vehicle, the suspect returned to the scene and began battering the seriously injured female who was lying on the ground. Law enforcement engaged the suspect as he continued to make attempts to harm the victim. Police were able to remove the suspect from the victim and following a brief foot pursuit, he was apprehended.
The suspect was transported to the Champaign County Satellite Jail on preliminary charges of Aggravated Battery and Aggravated Domestic Battery where he will await future court proceedings.
Although an arrest has been made, the incident remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to please contact police at 217-351-4545. Arrangements can be made for information to be shared privately. If you wish to remain anonymous you may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at: 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Champaign Police reminds citizens that information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tips information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers and conversations are not recorded.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.