The man charged with the death of Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholas Weist pleaded not guilty and demanded a jury trial during his preliminary hearing yesterday (May 23rd) at the Henry County Courthouse in Cambridge.22-year-old Daylon Richardson is charged with two counts of murder, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, and aggravated fleeing and eluding. Knox County Deputy Nicholas Weist was struck and killed by Richardson while laying down spike strips to stop the fleeing Richardson on Friday, April 29th. Officers were responding to a report of a man with a gun at the West Main Circle K in Galesburg when Richardson fled from police and headed north on U.S. Highway 150. A .40 caliber handgun was found outside Richardson’s wrecked vehicle according to ISP Special Agent Walt Willis who testified in court. Willis also testified that a cell phone recovered at the scene showed images of Richardson with a gun similar to the one found. Richardson also faces separate felony weapons charges, a felony cannabis charge, and a felony charge of “mob action” in Madison County, Illinois. A pretrial conference in Henry County is slated for 9 a.m. June 16, with a jury trial scheduled for the week of July 5.
