News

State Police: Man, wanted since late-May for reckless driving, arrested July 4

State Police:  Man, wanted since late-May for reckless driving, arrested July 4

Austin Huddleston Photo: Sangamon County


Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Illinois State Police (ISP) say they’ve caught a Springfield man who’s been wanted since the end of May for what they call multiple reckless driving incidents.

Troopers say Austin Huddleston, 30, faces multiple counts, including Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding, Reckless Driving, and Speeding more than 35 miles per hour over the limit.

Officials say thanks in part to public tips, Huddleston was caught Saturday and taken to jail.

“On May 28, 2026, ISP Troop 6 requested the public’s assistance in identifying the driver of a black Kawasaki ZX-6R motorcycle involved in multiple reckless driving incidents in Springfield and Sangamon County,” said a news release.  “The motorcycle was observed traveling at extremely high speeds while passing vehicles on the shoulder, disregarding traffic control devices, and creating dangerous situations for the public. “

It is not clear, based on online court records, when Huddleston will appear in Sangamon County Circuit Court.  He is in the county’s jail.

“ISP prioritizes public safety and utilizes many tools and resources to combat reckless driving,” said a release. ​ “ISP thanks the public, as well as the efforts of the ISP Digital Crimes Unit, Statewide Terrorism & Intelligence Center, Secretary of State (SOS) Police, SOS Auto Theft Task Force, Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and Pleasant Plains Police Department for assistance with the investigation and arrest.”

Recent Headlines

19 hours ago in Entertainment, Music

Latin and country surge in the US as more music is being streamed than ever before

Halfway through 2026, a few music, film and TV streaming trends have become clear, according to Luminate's 2026 Midyear Report, which was released Wednesday. Notably, more music is being streamed than ever before, both in the U.S. and globally.

19 hours ago in Sports

Cease, bullpen combine on 3-hitter in AL’s 4-0 win, first All-Star shutout since 2013

Dylan Cease started a parade of pitchers that shut down a slew of baseball's best batters in a display of the pitching dominance that rules the sport. "I thought before the game about starting with a changeup and I thought it would be funny," he said.

19 hours ago in Entertainment

Tom Cruise and IShowSpeed join the World Cup closing ceremony’s cast

A wide array of performers, from actor Tom Cruise to streamer IShowSpeed, will help close out the World Cup, FIFA announced Tuesday.