
PLAINFIELD — The manhunt for ex-La Salle County Deputy Lowell Maxwell “Max” Ambler widened to Plainfield Tuesday afternoon according the Plainfield Police Department’s social media sites.
Ambler, who Lee County Sheriff’s Office says is armed with a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun and dangerous, is wanted after violating the conditions of the $250,000 bond he was initially held on following his Sept. 15 arrest. He posted 10 percent, $25,000 several days later and was released.
Lee County Sheriff John Simonton said Ambler made contact with the person covered by the Order of Protection and that resulted in a new warrant on Monday. Mendota police, with assistance from area law enforcement, began searching for Ambler in and around Cherry Street, his last known Mendota address.
The search expanded to Plainfield Tuesday when police there recovered a white Freightliner around 1 p.m. that was reported stolen by Ambler. The vehicle was located near Plainfield North High School which was placed in soft lockdown. Students at the school were allowed to leave under a controlled dismissal according to directions posted on the Plainfield Police Department’s social media sites.
According to the Lee County State’s Attorney’s filings, the September charges of Class X felonies followed an investigation into an attack on a 14-year-old in rural Compton. Ambler is alleged to have broken into the home while wearing a mask, robe or hood and using duct tape as restraints which caused bruising. If convicted, Ambler faces 6-30 years in prison with no possibility of parole on each charge.
He was first taken into custody on Sept. 15 by Mendota police at his Cherry Street residence. He also has been reportedly living in Earlville where he once briefly served as an alderman.
A new warrant was issued Monday after Lee County Sheriff John Simonton said he had violated an order of protection and made contact with the protected person. The warrant seeks to revoke or increase his bond.
Source: http://www.saukvalley.com/2017/10/03/police-on-the-hunt-for-armed-dangerous-ex-deputy/a8hzl3o/