Felon who shouted ‘arrest me’ at McLean County traffic stop gets 5 years in prison

Illinois State Police
Illinois State Police arrested Terrail Draper Lavar Dixon during a traffic stop in McLean County in November 2016. (Photo courtesy Arvell Dorsey Jr./Flickr)

By Eric Stock

PEORIA – An Iowa man has been sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms by a felon during a traffic stop in McLean County.

Illinois State Police pulled over Terrail Draper Lavar Dixon, 35, of Cedar Rapids, shortly after midnight on Nov. 22 after observing Dixon’s vehicle speeding and driving erratically on Interstate 55.

When the vehicle stopped, Dixon got out of the car and shouted, “arrest me, go ahead and arrest me.” When the trooper asked why, Dixon responded, “because I have guns in the car, man.”

Police seized two loaded handguns from the vehicle. Dixon told the officer the guns were “security.” He had prior felony convictions in Illinois and Indiana.

Dixon pleaded guilty in February.

U.S. District Judge Joe Billy McDade also ordered that Dixon remain on supervised release for three years following his release from prison.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…