The Bobster
Senior News Editor since 2004
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1594715923/Golfers-shocked-by-robbery-attempt
Golfers shocked by robbery attempt
Pair allegedly tried to hold up man at Newman Golf Course
By RYAN ORI and ANDY KRAVETZ
OF THE JOURNAL STAR
Posted May 28, 2009 @ 07:21 PM
PEORIA — Three buddies' post-golf beer Wednesday afternoon at Newman Golf Course was less jovial than usual.
"There wasn't a whole lot said," Ron Mullen, 50, said Thursday. "We were a little bit shook up. We were all nervous the rest of the night."
Mullen watched friend Keith Mallow, 44, have a gun pointed at his head during a bizarre robbery attempt about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday on the par-3 15th hole at Newman, 2021 W. Nebraska Ave. No one was injured during the incident in which one shot was fired.
"You don't expect that to happen on a go
lf course," Mullen said. "It was a good thing nobody got killed or hurt."
Mullen of 1408 Paris St. and Dick Ashurst, 59, of 4919 N. Park Place in Peoria Heights watched playing partner Mallow of 2122 Harper Place hit his tee shot over the green on No. 15 to trigger the run-in with an armed man.
When Mallow went to find his tee shot behind the green on No. 15, he noticed someone, later identified as Tyler Williams, lying in some high weeds. Williams approached him, pulled out a gun and demanded money, Assistant State's Attorney Steve Pattelli said.
Mallow showed the man his empty wallet and turned out his pockets to show he had no money. About this time, his two friends arrived on a golf cart, saw what was happening and called 911. Pattelli said Williams then pointed his gun at the cart, which had begun to drive off.
Tyler G. Williams, 2105 W. North Circle Court, and Nicholas E. Williams, 1906 W. Newman Parkway, both 19, were charged Thursday with
attempted armed robbery and face either probation or four to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Peoria County Judge Paul Gilfillan set the pair's bond at $175,000 each, which was $25,000 more than what prosecutors had requested. In making his decision, Gilfillan noted the crime took place on a public golf course, an area often seen as a respite for people to escape the stresses of everyday life.
Contacted Thursday, Mullen explained that he and Ashurst had pulled their cart to the lower part of the green, which is not visible from behind the elevated green. There, Mullen began calling 911.
By the time Tyler Williams pointed his gun at that cart, Mullen held up his phone and informed the gunman he already was talking with police.
Tyler Williams appeared to panic and fled. As he went to hop a fence along the course, the gun fired into the ground, not at the golfers as police had previously indicated, Pattelli said.
Mullen confirmed that the gun was not fired in the golfers' di
rection, as initial information from police indicated. As police pursued the 19-year-olds, the golfers began driving down the par-5 16th fairway and providing descriptions of the suspects' direction of travel and attire.
Both men were quickly captured on foot in the 2000 block of West Forrest Hill Avenue, then were taken back to the course, where they were positively identified by the golfers.
"It was impressive," Mullen said. "The police caught them within 10 or 12 minutes."
Nicholas Williams allegedly was acting as a lookout, Pattelli said in open court. When questioned by the police, he denied any involvement, though he did admit to giving Tyler Williams, a friend of his, a hooded sweatshirt, which was later found with the handgun. Nicholas Williams did admit to being at the golf course but said he fled because he was on parole after being in prison on a weapons charge and didn't want a parole violation.
Tyler Williams, who has no criminal record, admitted to police he planned
to rob someone. He had recently lost his job and had planned to go a secluded area of the golf course to hold up a patron.
Both men are scheduled to appear in court again on June 18 for a preliminary hearing, although it is likely a grand jury will hear the case before then.
"It was quite an ordeal, getting mugged on a golf course with a gun to your face," Mullen said.
In recent years some golfers have complained about feeling threatened at Madison and Newman golf courses, which both run along Sterling Avenue.
Bonnie Noble, executive director of the Peoria Park District, on Thursday downplayed what she called infrequent incidents at city courses. But Noble said the park district is taking Thursday's fired shot seriously and already has added security measures, which she declined to disclose for fear of tipping off other criminals.
"Obviously, we don't want that to happen again," Noble said. "We've already upped security. We're taking this very seriously. We're very tha
nkful no one was hurt."
Like many commenting about the highly publicized incident Wednesday, Noble could make little sense of the motivation to try robbing golfers.
"It's absolutely crazy," Noble said. "Golfers aren't out there carrying big money, and they're out on a public course during the daytime. Talk about a dumb crime.
"Do they know how many off-duty police officers play our courses?"
Golfers shocked by robbery attempt
Pair allegedly tried to hold up man at Newman Golf Course
By RYAN ORI and ANDY KRAVETZ
OF THE JOURNAL STAR
Posted May 28, 2009 @ 07:21 PM
PEORIA — Three buddies' post-golf beer Wednesday afternoon at Newman Golf Course was less jovial than usual.
"There wasn't a whole lot said," Ron Mullen, 50, said Thursday. "We were a little bit shook up. We were all nervous the rest of the night."
Mullen watched friend Keith Mallow, 44, have a gun pointed at his head during a bizarre robbery attempt about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday on the par-3 15th hole at Newman, 2021 W. Nebraska Ave. No one was injured during the incident in which one shot was fired.
"You don't expect that to happen on a go
lf course," Mullen said. "It was a good thing nobody got killed or hurt."
Mullen of 1408 Paris St. and Dick Ashurst, 59, of 4919 N. Park Place in Peoria Heights watched playing partner Mallow of 2122 Harper Place hit his tee shot over the green on No. 15 to trigger the run-in with an armed man.
When Mallow went to find his tee shot behind the green on No. 15, he noticed someone, later identified as Tyler Williams, lying in some high weeds. Williams approached him, pulled out a gun and demanded money, Assistant State's Attorney Steve Pattelli said.
Mallow showed the man his empty wallet and turned out his pockets to show he had no money. About this time, his two friends arrived on a golf cart, saw what was happening and called 911. Pattelli said Williams then pointed his gun at the cart, which had begun to drive off.
Tyler G. Williams, 2105 W. North Circle Court, and Nicholas E. Williams, 1906 W. Newman Parkway, both 19, were charged Thursday with
attempted armed robbery and face either probation or four to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Peoria County Judge Paul Gilfillan set the pair's bond at $175,000 each, which was $25,000 more than what prosecutors had requested. In making his decision, Gilfillan noted the crime took place on a public golf course, an area often seen as a respite for people to escape the stresses of everyday life.
Contacted Thursday, Mullen explained that he and Ashurst had pulled their cart to the lower part of the green, which is not visible from behind the elevated green. There, Mullen began calling 911.
By the time Tyler Williams pointed his gun at that cart, Mullen held up his phone and informed the gunman he already was talking with police.
Tyler Williams appeared to panic and fled. As he went to hop a fence along the course, the gun fired into the ground, not at the golfers as police had previously indicated, Pattelli said.
Mullen confirmed that the gun was not fired in the golfers' di
rection, as initial information from police indicated. As police pursued the 19-year-olds, the golfers began driving down the par-5 16th fairway and providing descriptions of the suspects' direction of travel and attire.
Both men were quickly captured on foot in the 2000 block of West Forrest Hill Avenue, then were taken back to the course, where they were positively identified by the golfers.
"It was impressive," Mullen said. "The police caught them within 10 or 12 minutes."
Nicholas Williams allegedly was acting as a lookout, Pattelli said in open court. When questioned by the police, he denied any involvement, though he did admit to giving Tyler Williams, a friend of his, a hooded sweatshirt, which was later found with the handgun. Nicholas Williams did admit to being at the golf course but said he fled because he was on parole after being in prison on a weapons charge and didn't want a parole violation.
Tyler Williams, who has no criminal record, admitted to police he planned
to rob someone. He had recently lost his job and had planned to go a secluded area of the golf course to hold up a patron.
Both men are scheduled to appear in court again on June 18 for a preliminary hearing, although it is likely a grand jury will hear the case before then.
"It was quite an ordeal, getting mugged on a golf course with a gun to your face," Mullen said.
In recent years some golfers have complained about feeling threatened at Madison and Newman golf courses, which both run along Sterling Avenue.
Bonnie Noble, executive director of the Peoria Park District, on Thursday downplayed what she called infrequent incidents at city courses. But Noble said the park district is taking Thursday's fired shot seriously and already has added security measures, which she declined to disclose for fear of tipping off other criminals.
"Obviously, we don't want that to happen again," Noble said. "We've already upped security. We're taking this very seriously. We're very tha
nkful no one was hurt."
Like many commenting about the highly publicized incident Wednesday, Noble could make little sense of the motivation to try robbing golfers.
"It's absolutely crazy," Noble said. "Golfers aren't out there carrying big money, and they're out on a public course during the daytime. Talk about a dumb crime.
"Do they know how many off-duty police officers play our courses?"