Springfield police sergeant cited for DUI after July 4 traffic stop in Chatham

SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield Police Department sergeant was cited for driving under the influence and improper lane usage following a traffic stop in Chatham shortly after midnight on July 4, according to Chatham Police Department incident records and a Sangamon County Circuit Clerk entry.

What happened on July 4

Chatham officers stopped the vehicle — a Hyundai Sonata — just past 9507 Illinois 4 southbound at 1:57 a.m. The officer’s narrative says the driver, identified in court records as Lindzee N. Carpenter, made "an abnormally wide turn" onto Illinois 4 and then showed a pattern of swerving that prompted the stop.

"you told me that I could," the narrative says Carpenter told the officer when asked why she initially drove away from the first attempt to stop her.

The report describes additional behavior observed by the officer: the vehicle swerved toward the center dotted lines, returned to the center, then moved toward the right shoulder line and crossed it — actions that led to the traffic stop. When Carpenter exited the vehicle, the officer reported she was stumbling and "slurring her words."

Evidence and immediate actions

• The officer said Carpenter provided an expired Springfield Police Department identification card and two different credit cards when asked for ID.
• An unopened pack of SuperLyte alcoholic beverage was found on the floorboard; Carpenter denied it belonged to her.
• Carpenter refused a field sobriety test and later refused to provide a breath sample, while several times denying she had been drinking.

According to the Sangamon County court entry, Carpenter was cited for DUI and improper lane usage. She faces a first court appearance in Sangamon County on Aug. 25, and is required to surrender her driver's license on July 17.

Departmental response and context

The Springfield Police Department has placed Carpenter on administrative leave and immediately stripped her of police powers, information that appears on the department’s transparency page. The agency also has opened an internal affairs investigation into the incident.

Carpenter was promoted to sergeant in 2024. The case is proceeding through both criminal and departmental review processes; the internal affairs investigation will determine any administrative sanctions separate from criminal court outcomes.

Local implications

Arrests of sworn officers raise questions about accountability, transparency and how departments handle allegations against their own. For Springfield residents, the case touches on public safety on local roads and the integrity of the city’s police force. The department’s transparency page and the Sangamon County court calendar will be primary sources of updates as the legal and internal processes continue.

News Block will follow court filings and the department’s internal review. Residents seeking records or more detail can consult Sangamon County Circuit Court entries and the Chatham Police incident narrative as they become available.