From the State’s Attorney:
CONVICTED FELON DETAINED AFTER ALLEGEDLY BRANDISHING KNIFE ALONG ROUTE 47 IN WOODSTOCK
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that the Honorable Judge Cynthia D. Lamb granted the State’s petition to deny pretrial release for Nicholas Miller, 31, of Johnsburg, Illinois, after Miller allegedly brandished a knife along Illinois Route 47 and approached a McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy with an object raised in his hand.
Miller appeared in Initial Appearance Court on August 24, 2026, charged with Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon, a Class 2 felony.
Evidence presented at the detention hearing established that on the afternoon of August 23, 2026, a concerned citizen contacted the Woodstock Police Department to report a man brandishing a knife along the side of the roadway near Illinois Route 47 and McConnell Road.
At approximately the same time, a McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy driving in the area observed Miller along the roadway.
As the deputy passed, Miller allegedly began walking toward the deputy’s squad car with his arm raised and an object in his hand.
The deputy turned around and, with officers from the Woodstock Police Department, approached Miller.
Officers allegedly discovered Miller in possession of a folding knife with the blade extended.
Miller allegedly told officers that he needed the knife to defend himself against drivers on the roadway.
Miller is prohibited from possessing a weapon based upon his prior felony conviction for Aggravated Battery Causing Great Bodily Harm in 2018.
State’s Attorney Freese commended the concerned citizen who promptly contacted police, as well as the Woodstock Police Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office for safely resolving the encounter.
“A man allegedly brandishing a knife along a busy roadway and then approaching a squad car with an object raised in his hand presented a situation that could have turned dangerous in an instant,” Freese said.
“Instead, a concerned citizen spoke up, law enforcement responded quickly, and officers brought the situation under control without anyone being hurt.”
Miller’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 2, 2026, in Courtroom 304.
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
