E-Bike Seized On Joliet Junction Trail: State's Attorney Glasgow Makes It Civil Forfeiture

JOLIET, IL — A Joliet man who was riding his e-bike along the Joliet Junction Trail in the Will County Forest Preserve property now faces the prospect of losing it forever, thanks to a civil forfeiture petition filed this week at the Will County Courthouse.

State's Attorney Jim Glasgow has notified Will County's judges that John Shields was riding the e-bike when he committed the crime of driving while license revoked.

According to the court files, Will County Forest Preserve Police officers Mosier and Glecier were on foot patrol along the Joliet Junction Trail at the milepost near the 2400 block of West Jefferson Street when they spotted the e-bike accelerating without any pedal movement back on May 22.

The officers yelled "Stop," and activated the Guardian Angel police lights. The rider, Shields, abruptly stopped and announced he was in a hurry to get to work. Shields told Will County Forest Preserve police that the e-bike was a 750W.

The officers did not find any e-bike class sticker on the vehicle, and police dispatchers relayed that Shields had a revoked driver's license. The officers looked up the e-bike online and found that the manufacturer listed it as a 5000W with top speeds between 40 and 45 mph.

The officers gave Shields a driving while license revoked citation and the e-bike was seized.

The forfeiture petition asks that a judge from Will County order the e-bike forfeited and sold at a public auction, destroyed or given to an Illinois law enforcement agency. Court files show that Shields comes from the 300 block of Joliet's Hutchins Street. He has received the notice from the Will County court system alerting him to the forfeiture action against his e-bike.

A court hearing on the forfeiture is set for Aug. 13.