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Jackson Kradle

Age : 18

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 07/28/2024

Location : Illinois Route 78 and Lowden Road

City : Mount Carroll

County : Carroll

State : Illinois

Agency : Carroll County Sheriff's Department

Officer(s) :Matthew Herpstreith

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Pedestrian believed killed by officer

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 07/28/2024, at approximately 3:30 a.m., off-duty Carroll County Sheriff's Deputy Matthew Herpstreith and off-duty dispatcher Amy Hubble reported finding 18-year-old Jackson Kradle lying along Illinois Route 78 near Lowden Road outside Mount Carroll.
An autopsy determined Kradle died from blunt force trauma after being struck by a motor vehicle. During the Illinois State Police investigation, Kradle's DNA was recovered from the underside of Herpstreith's pickup truck. Investigators also obtained surveillance video showing Herpstreith washing the underside of his truck at a car wash shortly after leaving the scene. During a second interview with investigators, Herpstreith acknowledged he may have struck Kradle after initially stating he had swerved to avoid an object in the roadway.
In January 2025, a Carroll County coroner's inquest heard testimony from investigators, forensic experts, and witnesses. The jury determined that Kradle's manner of death was homicide. Herpstreith and Hubble, both of whom had resigned from the sheriff's office, invoked their Fifth Amendment rights during the inquest.
On 03/24/2025, former Deputy Matthew Herpstreith was charged with reckless homicide, reckless conduct, obstructing justice, attempted obstructing justice, and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. The criminal case remains pending.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.wifr.com/2025/01/14/inquest-dead-mans-dna-found-off-duty-carroll-co-deputys-truck/
https://www.kwqc.com/2025/01/16/inquest-man-found-dead-roadway-ruled-homicide/
https://www.kwqc.com/2025/03/24/former-deputy-charged-death-jackson-kradle/
https://www.kwqc.com/2025/02/06/coroner-releases-documents-inquest-into-jackson-kradles-death/