Details Of Grayslake Police Chief's Arrest

The arrest of Grayslake Police Chief Matt McCutcheon is detailed in a Kenosha County Sheriff’s police report acquired by Patch.

McCutcheon has been charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and being armed while intoxicated. McCutcheon was arrested after a head-on crash in Kenosha County, Wisc., on March 30.

"He was swaying back and forth," Kenosha County Deputy William Soppe wrote in the report. "I could smell a strong odor of intoxicant coming from his breath."

Soppe stated that McCutheon was driving a black Honda eastbound on County Road C, then turned southbound onto Highway 45. McCutcheon reportedly turned too wide and struck a northbound car head-on. No injuries were reported.

Soppe noted that McCutcheon's eyes were "blood shot red and were glossy. The subject's speech was very slow." When Soppe asked McCutcheon if he had consumed any alcohol, he said that he had a few beers with dinner. Soppe asked to see McCutcheon's ID and McCutcheon showed his police badge and indicated that he was an off-duty police officer from Illinois, headed home with his wife from Twin Oaks in Wilmot, the police report states.

Soppe asked if McCutcheon was carrying a gun and McCutcheon showed his Kimber 9MM handgun in his right side waistline. It had one bullet in the chamber and there were six bullets in the magazine. Soppe removed the gun from McCutcheon, according to the report.

Soppe stated he wanted to do field sobriety tests on McCutcheon, but he refused. McCutcheon was then taken into custody for operating while intoxicated, 1st offense, and being armed while intoxicated. 

McCutcheon was taken to Aurora Hospital. Once there, he initially refused to provide a blood sample for evidence, but then relented, the police report states. McCutcheon admitted he had had three vodka martinis and was transported to the Kenosha County Jail, according to the report.

A witness to the accident, Cheryl L., said that she noticed a dark car (believed to be McCutcheon's) driving behind her speeding up and slowing down multiple times. She saw the car crash into a car that was already at the intersection. She called police after checking to see that everyone was OK, the police report states.

Another couple, Margaret and Gerald R., was in their car in the northbound lane of Route 45. They said they saw a dark SUV approach the intersection at C and Route 45, and then it appeared the driver "decided to make a last minute decision to make the turn."

On Wednesday, Grayslake Mayor Rhett Taylor .

. He had served as interim chief since the summer of 2010 when former Chief Larry Herzog retired.

The decision to name McCutcheon chief was unanimous by the Grayslake Village Board.

The Grayslake Village Board has called a special executive session meeting Thursday night to discuss personnel matters, although it did not specify the exact topic. The meeting notice was sent out Tuesday.

CORRECTION: The article has been updated to explain that the car was traveling east on County Road C and turned south onto Highway 45. Patch regrets the error.