Lengthy Prison Term for Beecher City Man

(DURBIN)

A lengthy prison term has been received by a Beecher City man for various offenses.

John M. Durbin was sentenced to 12 years in prison for criminal damage to government-supported property. Durbin fled the scene on April 1, 2021 in Effingham. In the process, Durbin struck an Effingham County Sheriff's Department squad car and an Effingham City Police Department squad car. He then fled Effingham at a high rate of speed before being arrested later that day.

The 26-year-old Durbin was also sentenced to three years in prison on a count of aggravated assault of a peace officer, and also was sentenced to 12 years in prison on another charge of aggravated assault of a peace officer. The different sentences stemmed from different incidents. Those sentences will run concurrently, not separately.

Durbin had been spotted changing a tire on a vehicle in a parking lot on South Banker. City officers knew that Durbin was wanted on warrants charging domestic battery and fleering or eluding a peace officer. That led to Durbin fleeing the scene.