Dixon man faces more battery charges in another fight in a moving vehicle

DIXON – A Dixon man out on bond is facing two new felony charges after investigators say he once again got into a fight with another person while in a moving vehicle.

Derrick Flynn, 40, who was charged in September in an incident in which his passenger died, is back in Lee County jail, accused of beating a woman in the face with an aluminum bottle and hitting her with his hands as she was driving Tuesday.

Flynn was charged Wednesday with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, accused in the charging document of “causing severe lacerations and various chipped or dislodged teeth,” and with aggravated battery in a public place, in this case a public thoroughfare.

The fight took place on Bloody Gulch Road, as the woman was driving them from Rock Falls back to Dixon, Lee County State’s Attorney Charley Boonstra said.

She called 911, and Flynn was arrested about 11:45 p.m. in the 1900 block of West Ninth Street.

Bond was set at $300,000 Wednesday; Flynn’s preliminary hearing is Thursday. He faces two to five years on each count if convicted.

If he posts the $30,000 needed to be released, he will have to wear a GPS monitor and will be confined to his home, allowed only to go to work, court or medical appointments, Boonstra said.

Flynn also is charged with aggravated battery and obstructing justice (for refusing a blood draw), both felonies, and with DUI and domestic battery, both misdemeanors, in the death of Yishmael Q. Sneed, 28.

According to investigators, Sneed was a passenger in a car driven by Flynn about 1:30 a.m. Sept. 24.

The two men got into a fight, and Sneed jumped or rolled from the vehicle, which was westbound in the 1200 block of Palmyra Road, police said.

Sneed died of multiple blunt force injuries a short time later at KSB Hospital.

Flynn was arrested that night, and posted $20,000 of $200,000 bond and was freed Sept. 29.

Aggravated battery carries two to five years in prison, obstructing justice one to four years.

He has a pretrial conference Sept. 7 in that case.

In addition, Sneed’s mother, Sharese Sneed of Aurora, is suing Flynn and Tipsy, the Dixon bar he was drinking at that night, for wrongful death.

According to the suit, Flynn was served despite being “observably intoxicated.”

The suit also says Sneed was thrown from Flynn’s vehicle.

A progress call is set for Sept. 5.

Flynn already has one conviction in Lee County for aggravated battery causing great bodily harm – on Nov. 15, 2009, he beat a man in the face with a pitcher, court records show.

He was sentenced March 11, 2010, to 2½ years of probation in that case.