The Murder of Jerald Eschen

On October 29th, 1989, around 1 a.m. in Rockford, Illinois, RPD cop Doug Williams was in his squad car at the red light on 6th Street and Jefferson Street.

When a car approaching the intersection tried to brake but ended up sliding thru the light for about 8 feet.

Williams activated his lights and sirens in his squad by the vehicle kept going crossing the Jefferson Street Bridge.

The vehicle was being driven by 27 year old Jerald Eschen.

On all accounts, Jerald was not driving fast, but he kept driving to turn right onto North Main Street before he turned into the parking of the old Sears building in the 700 block of North Main Street.

Williams exited his squad ordering Jerald out his car. Jerald instead drove out of the parking lot and began driving south in an area of North Main that was and still is a north bound one way.

He got off going west on Locust before going north on Church Street. Williams involvement in the chase ended when he crashed into another RPD squad car, but there were others that continued the pursuit including RPD cop Clinton Kellet.

The chase went west down Whitman Street, turned south on to Winnebago Street, again turned west onto Maple Street before ending when Jerald attempted to turn south onto Woodlawn Avenue causing him to crash into a utility pole.

Kellet pulled his squad car right behind the crashed vehicle and had his gun out upon exiting. Jerald had exited his crashed vehicle and was ordered by Kellet to freeze. When Jerald turned around, Kellet reached out to shove him but instead he tripped and stumbled causing his gun to go off, shooting Jerald.

Then Rockford cops Kevin Rice and Bruce Harris were on scene, attempting to give medical aid before transporting Jerald to a hospital but it was not enough. Jerald passed away in the hospital.

Kellet immediately said the shooting was accidental.

Jerald Eschen was 27 years old at the time married to his wife Denise. They had two sons together, ages 5 and 1 at the time. In an interview given to Rockford Register Star on October 30th, 1989, Denise said their oldest son walked around that day repeatedly “My Daddy died yesterday.

This was the first police shooting of 1989 and first deadly force incident under Rockford Mayor Charles Box.