Settlement reached in woman’s suit accusing ex-Normal Police officer of $12,000 theft

Posted on March 3, 2023

*Former Normal Police officer Brian Williams. (Photo courtesy Livingston County Sheriffs Office)*

MCLEAN COUNTY – A former Normal Police officer who pleaded guilty to official misconduct for stealing $12,000 from a home in 2019 has reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit filed by the theft victim.

Terms of the settlement between Lindsey Holzhauer and former officer Brian Williams were not disclosed in the court document.

Authorities said Williams was one of the officers responding to a health emergency for Holzhauer’s husband. He died, and Holzhauer later reported the money was missing.

Illinois State Police arrested Willliams in a sting operation after he arranged to return the money to Holzhauer at a Pontiac gas station.

Williams, 50, resigned after 18-years on the force. He pleaded guilty in November 2020 to a felony charge of official misconduct, and was sentenced to a month in jail and 2 1/2-years on probation.

A court filing indicates Holzhauer wants to preserve her right to appeal a judge’s ruling dismissing allegations that now-retired Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner and Officers Tim Edmiaston and Jim Ferguson tried to cover up the crime.

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