Sheriff's office investigating death of 64-year-old Springfield woman

A 64-year-old Springfield woman died Thursday under circumstances Sangamon County Sheriff's Office officials say they believe to be suspicious.

Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said that Donna Romine was pronounced dead at 5:10 p.m. at her home in the 3100 of Aire Road. The sheriff's office said they were asked to conduct a welfare check on the home at 11:16 a.m. that morning after they received reports that people had not heard from Romine in several days.

When deputies responded to the scene, they were unable to get anyone to answer the door before they noticed a subject – later revealed to be Romine – down and unresponsive in the residence.

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Investigators were able to obtain a search warrant for the residence and determined that Romine's death was suspicious, triggering a homicide investigation. A family member of Romine's was quickly determined to be a person of interest and he was found during a traffic stop at 1 a.m. Friday morning.

When deputies initiated the stop, the suspect drove off, beginning a short chase that continued with him pulling into a driveway and refusing to leave the vehicle. Eventually, he threw an AR-15 rifle out of the car and surrendered before a medical event forced deputies to transport him to HSHS St. John's Hospital for treatment.

The sheriff's office said that he remains under guard at St. John's and that there is no ongoing threat to the community. The name of the suspect has yet to be revealed.

Allmon said an autopsy was scheduled for Friday, with the cause and manner of death currently under investigation by both the coroner's office and sheriff's office.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Death of 64-year-old Springfield woman under investigation by sheriff