The Wabash County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a 2008 white Chevrolet Tahoe parked inside the former Peabody Coal Mine.
On March 19, the Sheriff’s Office made two arrests: the driver, 46-year-old Tara Cottrill of Centralia, and 30-year-old Kyle Hall from Odin.
An investigation of the coal mine showed evidence of burglary, theft, criminal damage to property, criminal trespass, possession of burglary tools, and possession of methamphetamine. The Sheriff’s Office deployed their drone and K9 Eleven to locate other possible suspects in the area.
Cottrill and Hall were taken to the Wabash County Jail but were later released due to the SAFE-T Act.
Cottrill faces charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Burglary, Possession of Burglary Tools, Theft of more than $500, Criminal Damage to Property, and Criminal Damage to Real Property.
Hall faces the exact charges minus the Possession of Meth.
The investigation is still ongoing as another suspect is being sought after. The Wabash County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Mt. Carmel Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Glenn Towing.
If you have any information on this incident or would like to report any crime, you are asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 618-262-4186.
