The Boone County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a suspicious activity report that was
determined to be unsupported by evidence, which resulted in the deputies reporting that the reporter was experiencing a mental health emergency.
On May 20, just before noon, the Boone County Communications Center received a 911 call from a semi-truck driver out of Mattoon, Illinois where the driver reported that the he was flagged down by two individuals at a residence on State Road 75 who asked to utilize his phone.
The driver reported that the individuals took his phone, refused to return it, entered a truck on the property and disappeared from the reporter’s line of sight.
Law enforcement officers arrived on the scene and spoke with the driver, where they received a report that the two individuals vacated the pickup truck and moved inside one of the barns on the property before law enforcement arrived on the scene, deputies said.
According to authorities, the law enforcement officers secured the scene, moved the driver to another location and removed the homeowner from the property. However, reports show that upon further investigation, deputies determined that the driver that filed the report was experiencing a mental health emergency, which led the deputies to conclude that the reported events did not occur.
Law enforcement officers reportedly searched the property, and suspicious activity was not found. The driver of the truck was reportedly examined by medical personnel on the scene.
Deputies reported that the trucking company was advised of the situation and reported that someone would be dispatched to retrieve the semi truck.
During the event, the surrounding schools were placed on a soft lockdown, but the deputies reported that no further action was necessary for the investigation.