Macon County Sheriff's deputy resigns following DUI citation

FORSYTH, Ill. (WAND) - A Macon County Sheriff's deputy who was cited for driving under the influence in December has resigned his position.

The sheriff's office said in a news release that Andrew Ziegler, 31, resigned on Monday. He had been employed as a Macon County deputy since April 2024.

Ziegler was cited after a deputy working in the Forsyth area at 2 a.m. on December 15 saw a vehicle going north on US Route 51 at a high rate of speed.

Due to the snow and ice covered road, the deputy did not initially pursue the vehicle but followed in the same direction. Just north of Forsyth, the deputy saw the vehicle driving in the center median of US Route 51 and tried to stop it.

MCSO said the vehicle refused to stop, exited the median and began going south on US Route 51. The deputy again tried to stop the vehicle when it slid into the median again.

The vehicle drove out of the median again and sped away northbound.

The sheriff's office said, "The deputy again chose to not pursue at unreasonable speeds due to the conditions and having now identified the vehicle and potential driver."

Other Macon County deputies found the vehicle, again stuck in a ditch, on Washington Street Road approximately half a mile west of US Route 51.

Deputies identified Ziegler as the driver and took him into custody for speeding and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. He was also held on the suspicion of driving under the influence.

WAND obtained the body and dash camera footage of the pursuit leading up to Ziegler's citation.

The Illinois State Police was requested to handle the driving under the influence investigation.

Ziegler was ultimately charged by the Illinois State Police with driving under the influence. He was cited and released with a pending court date.

Ziegler was immediately placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation concerning his actions and the resulting criminal and traffic charges.

He is due back in court on February 11 at 8:30 a.m.

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