Stolen ATV found in woods after non-custodial father driving with child arrested

HURST, Ill. (KBSI) – A stolen all-terrain vehicle was found after after sheriff’s deputies say a non-custodial father used it to try to abduct his child.

After arresting the suspect, deputies learned that the ATV was abandoned in the woods that included hundreds of acres of rough terrain, dense woods and brush.

Deputies searched unsuccessfully throughout the night until thunderstorms forced them to stop.

On February 28, deputies assigned to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit, who were scheduled for routine training activities, learned of the missing ATV.

The K9 Unit relocated their scheduled training to the area of the abandoned ATV hoping that while conducting training activities they could recover the stolen ATV.

After searching hundreds of acres, the ATV was recovered. It was returned to its rightful owner.

“The commitment of our Deputies to locate this ATV reflects the overall drive each member of the Sheriff’s Office has for our community,” said Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich. “The victim of this ATV theft deserved to have the property they worked hard for returned and that is exactly what occurred.”

Ricky A. Cooper faces charges of aggravated fleeing and eluding a peace officer (Class 4 felony), child abduction (Class 4 felony), obstructing justice (Class 4 felony), endangering the life or health of a child (Class A misdemeanor), driving while license revoked, (Class A misdemeanor), two counts of stop sign, operating an ATV on roadway and operating uninsured motor vehicle.

Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Deputies tried to stop a man on a four-wheeler who was holding a three-year-old child without a helmet on Williamson Street in Hurst on Tuesday, February 27 around 3:29 p.m.

Cooper was known to deputies from prior law enforcement contact.

When deputies tried to stop him, they say Cooper disobeyed multiple stop signs and drove away.

Deputies immediately stopped the traffic stop to avoid endangering the child.

Deputies discovered that Cooper is the child’s father. However, he does not have custodial rights and had picked him up from the child’s grandparents.

After Cooper did not return home with the child when it got dark, deputies began following up on leads throughout the community.

During this time more than a dozen members of the community responded believing the child was lost. Deputies say they were unaware that the child was with his father.

At 9:10 p.m., family members told sheriff’s deputies that Cooper had contacted them and wanted the child picked up and would then surrender to law enforcement.

Williamson County Sheriff’s deputies were notified at 9:30 p.m. the child was picked up by his grandmother.

Moments later Cooper was arrested. Deputies say Cooper told them that the four wheeler he had been riding was stolen.

Cooper was taken to the Williamson County Jail.