On June 24 at approximately 4:30 am, Winchester Police Department responded to a single vehicle accident on Main Street in Winchester involving a white pickup truck. Upon arrival, law enforcement were unable to find anyone at the scene. The vehicle is registered to Lance A. Ackerman, 20, of Winchester.Law enforcement were unable to locate Ackerman during the early morning hours of June 24, 2018. During the course of the investigation and into the following day, family and friends provided valuable intelligence relating to the owner of the vehicle including law enforcement attempted to locate Ackerman through his cell phone. Officers were able to identify messages that lead them to suspect Ackerman was possibly suicidal in nature and had not made personal contact with any family member or friends. Additionally, it was discovered he could possibly be in possession of a firearm. Law Enforcement is asking the public for any information on Ackerman’s whereabouts and asks if you see something say something. He is a white male with blonde hair and blue eyes, standing 5’11”, and weighing 185 lbs. Ackerman was last seen in the Winchester Illinois area at approximately 4:30 am Sunday June 24, 2018 wearing a black ball cap, black shirt and blue jeans.
At the time of this release, Ackerman is still missing and law enforcement continue the search in and around the Winchester area. Civilians are asked not to approach Ackerman should they encounter him and call 911 or the Scott County Sheriff’s Department. Assisting the Scott County Sheriff’s Department and the Winchester Police Department include: Brown County Sheriff’s Department, Mt. Sterling Police, Pike County Sheriff’s Department, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department, Arenzville Police, Jacksonville Police Department, Winchester EMS, Winchester Fire and Rescue, Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois State Police. “These types of incidents can be extremely trying on local law enforcement and we are thankful for our neighboring agencies for the many hours of assistance” said Sheriff Tom Eddinger. “We have had a tremendous amount of support from our entire community and will continue the search”, Eddinger stated.