Man accused of stealing squad car, pointing gun at officers in Macon appears in court

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — The man accused of stealing a deputy's squad car and pointing a gun at officers appeared in court for the first time on Monday.

On Monday, Oscar M. McCurry was formally arraigned on aggravated use of a deadly weapon, aggravated battery to a peace officer, unlawful possession of weapon by a felon, and possession of a stolen vehicle.

According to the Macon County Sheriff's Office, McCurry wielded a machete at the P&V gas station parking lot after crashing into a vehicle on May 3.

He then ran from the officers onto U.S. Highway 51, stole a Macon County Sheriff's Office squad car, and rammed it into a Decatur Park Police District vehicle.

According to the sheriff's office, McCurry got out of the car and was shot by officers after pointing a shotgun at them.

In court on Monday it was revealed that the shotgun McCurry used belonged to a Macon County Sheriff's Officer.

McCurry's attorney told the court he had "a mental health episode" at the time of the incident. A sworn statement from a Macon County sergeant said that McCurry told deputies that he believed his daughter was being sexually assaulted in the cab of the semi he crashed into at the P&V station. Deputies got permission to check the cab and told McCurry that no one was inside, but he was unable to be convinced that his child was not in danger.

He was taken to the hospital. On May 10, he was released and booked into the Macon County Jail.

McCurry was denied pretrial release. His next hearing is set for May 28.