A 33-year-old former Salem woman faces two felony charges after allegedly claiming she was being threatened by armed men inside Biggies Cafe on Route 161 at I-57 on Monday morning.
Ashley Pohlman, who now lists a Streator address, was charged in Marion County Court on Wednesday with aggravated battery to a police officer and felony disorderly conduct as well as a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.
State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth asked that Pohlman be detained, but Judge Christopher Hantla said unfortunately the new pretrial release law doesn’t allow a person to be held without bond on an aggravated battery to a police officer charge without major injury even though in this case there was a potential for a lot of great bodily harm. As part of Pohlman’s pre-trial release, she was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation, have no firearm, abstain from drugs and alcohol, and have no contact with Biggies.
In the probable cause statement, Hudspeth said multiple police agencies responded to Biggies in response to a 911 call of a woman being threatened by several men in the store with guns. After seeing only two men inside, and none with guns, after 15 to 20 minutes police called the store and were told the two men in the store were employees and not armed. At that point, Pohlman exited the store screaming and the two men came out with their hands up. Hudspeth said at no time had there been any interaction with males who were threatening her but continued to say someone was trying to kill her.
Pohlman was combative with police and pinched a sheriff’s deputy drawing blood, resulting in the aggravated battery charge. The felony disorderly conduct charge was for allegedly making a false 911 call. Pohlman was charged with resisting arrest for allegedly kicking at the windows in a squad car to keep from being taken to jail.
