The man accused of the murder of a McHenry County Deputy Sheriff in Rockford Thursday will be returned to Winnebago County to face charges.
Floyd E. Brown, 39, is charged with first degree murder for the shooting death of Deputy Jacob Keltner, who died Thursday afternoon in a Rockford hospital. Keltner was working with a fugitive task force from the U.S. Marshals office as they tried to serve a warrant on Brown, a Springfield resident who was staying at the Extended Stay America hotel on Rockford’s east side.
Police say Deputy Keltner was shot in the parking lot of the hotel. Brown fled in his own car, which a state trooper spotted on I-39 in McLean County, north of Bloomington. Illinois State Police say they started a high-speed chase in bad weather, often exceeding 100 miles per hour. Police say Brown displayed a rifle during the chase. After half an hour, troopers crashed into Brown’s car “for the safety of the public,” sending him into a ditch on I-55 near Lincoln.
Police say Brown briefly left his car, but then got back in and barricaded himself for six hours. A SWAT team and crisis negotiators were called in – Brown surrendered six hours later. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries he received in the crash. Once released, he’ll be turned over to the FBI.
A 25-year-old Springfield woman, described by police as an acquaintance of Brown's, was injured by gunfire at the hotel. Police say they believe she was hit by shots fired by Brown because officers did not fire any shots during the incident. She was treated at a Rockford hospital and released.
In a news release Thursday night, ISP acting director Brendan Kelly thanked the state troopers, SWAT team members, and a number of local law enforcement agencies for their work in apprehending Brown. Kelly said, “This dark day has come to an end, and this defendant can now be brought to justice.”
Brown was wanted on burglary warrants in McLean and Champaign counties, failure to appear in Sangamon County, and for a parole violation by the Illinois Department of Corrections.
He’s now charged with First Degree Murder, no bond, by the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s office. The U.S. Attorney’s office is also charging him with First Degree Murder. Keltner’s death is a federal crime because he was doing work for the U.S. Marshal Service at the time.
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