Merit Commission issues suspensions to DeKalb County Sheriff's deputies

SYCAMORE – The Merit Commission of the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office decided Tuesday to assign Meagan Pettengell a 150-day suspension and Ryan Pettengell, a 10-day suspension based on their actions during a March 30 police chase that ended in a Kingston man's death.

After an hour of deliberation late Tuesday, the commission decided not to fire Meagan Pettengell and instead voted 2-1 in favor of placing her on a 150-day suspension. Commissioners Todd Walker and Kim Green voted in favor of the suspension and Gene Lane voted against it.

The commission voted unanimously in favor of Ryan Pettengell's 10-day suspension.
The couple will receive credit for the time they have been suspended throughout the hearing.

"The immediate reaction of course is disappointment," one of the Pettengells' attorneys, Laura Scarry said. "I think 150 days is quite a bit and based on my limited knowledge of the prior discipline for conduct that I believe is even more egregious in what Meagan engaged in, it's almost unheard of that a deputy would receive 150 days. However, I am grateful on behalf of Meagan and Ryan that Meagan didn't lose her job."

The Pettengells were advised by their attorneys not to speak to the Daily Chronicle.

The Merit Commission found Dec. 7 that Meagan Pettengell violated mobile video and audio procedures and failed to use good judgment when it came to the safety of others, and her husband, Ryan Pettengell, did not adequately supervise the situation.

DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott has recommended Meagan Pettengell be fired and that her husband and supervisor that evening, Ryan Pettengell, be suspended for 60 days without pay.

Meagan Pettengell has been suspended without pay since June 23. Ryan Pettengell returned to the department Oct. 23.

"My reaction is that I respect the decision. [The commissioners] are good people with high integrity," Scott said. "I disagree with the decision, but we'll move on."

Meagan Pettengell was responding to a 911 call about a domestic dispute early on March 30 in the 11500 block of Baseline Road. Sheriff’s deputies learned that Nissen had left the area in his girlfriend’s 2008 Honda Civic.

The girlfriend, who had called police, told them that Nissen had been drinking, and records showed his license was revoked. Ryan Pettengell, the sergeant on duty and Meagan Pettengell's husband, supervised the pursuit that night.

Footage from the dashboard camera in Meagan Pettengell’s squad car the night of the pursuit showed it reached up to 111 mph during the chase, and ran through a stop sign at an intersection at about 80 mph without emergency lights on.

Scott testified Tuesday that Meagan Pettengell established a pattern of reckless behavior while operating the department's vehicle in her time as a deputy.

"She did it in November 2014 and she did it again in March 2015, and I find it intolerable for me to allow her to continue to do that," Scott said.

Meagan Pettengell received a one-day suspension after participating in a “moving roadblock” without authorization in November 2014.

One of the Pettengells' attorneys, Scarry, however, stressed that aside from Meagan Pettengell's suspension for the 2014 incident, the deputy consistently met and exceeded expectations, evidence of which was in her Sheriff's Office personnel file.

Scott agreed that before her 2014 suspension, Meagan Pettengell graduated valedictorian from her police academy and behaved as a "model deputy" within the department. The sheriff also agreed Ryan Pettengell is a "good police officer," and a "deputy that can be counted on by his peers" but poorly executed his responsibilities as sergeant the night of the pursuit.

"He has a lot of awards," Scott said. "That did not deter me from making my recommendations."

Meagan Pettengell had previously received awards for her number of felony arrests and arrests of drivers who were under the influence.

Ryan Pettengell had received similar awards and also served as a commander on the department's special operations team before his June suspension.

Scott maintained, however, that it would be irresponsible and set a poor example to not fire the deputy based on her actions March 30.

"If you excel in certain areas and are a good officer it does not allow us to have egregious behavior in our performance of our duties, and that's what I consider this situation," Scott said.