Posted by chicagomedia.org on November 03, 2008 at 15:01:00:
Radio contest pulls its Peterson prank
By JOE HOSEY
BOLINGBROOK -- Drew Peterson's Halloween started with a radio station's trick but the embattled ex-cop said it wouldn't put him off from dispensing treats to neighborhood children.
"There will be candy available at the Peterson house for trick-or-treating fun," Peterson said shortly after two people showed up at his door Friday morning to win a radio contest, followed by the cops pulling up to put a stop to the shenanigans.
Peterson said radio station B96 (96.3 FM) told listeners the first people to trick-or-treat at his home would win a free cell phone.
"The police heard about it," Peterson said, and the law showed up to intervene.
Police Chief Kevin McCarthy said the situation outside Peterson's Pheasant Chase Court home had "really calmed down" by the afternoon and that the radio station agreed to pull the plug on its contest.
"One of the lieutenants called the radio station and told them to knock it off," McCarthy said, noting that Peterson has a "no trespassing" sign on his lawn and that interlopers risked arrest.
McCarthy also pointed out that the village's trick-or-treating hours did not begin until 4 p.m. McCarthy said he was under the impression that the radio station was giving away concert tickets to the contest winners.
A call to 96.3 FM inquiring about the incident was transferred to a voicemail box in the marketing department. The station failed to return the call.
Peterson's next-door neighbor, Sharon Bychowski, a close friend of his missing wife Stacy Peterson, found it ironic that Peterson, a self-proclaimed "jokester," seemed not to enjoy the radio station's prank.
"So the jokester can't take a joke," Bychowski said.
(The Herald News)