An Illinois trucking company executive was recently found dead in a small fire at the company's headquarters. An employee of the company was arrested in connection with the death and fire that occurred March 5 in Crestwood, Illinois, which is located about 24 miles southwest of Chicago.
Crestwood Police and Fire Department responded to the fire at the headquarters of ATG Truckload. According to the Crestwood Police, the small fire was quickly extinguished, and the body of Dane Koteski, 48, was found on the second floor of the building. Koteski, CEO and owner of the trucking company, had been stabbed in the neck.
According to a Facebook post by the Crestwood Police, "Over the course of the next several hours, (South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force) investigators developed and followed up on numerous leads resulting in the identification of a suspect. The suspect was learned to be an employee of the victim and the crime was quickly deemed to be an isolated event, specifically targeting the victim.
"The investigation continued throughout the night leading to the location of the suspect at a truck stop in Holland, Michigan. Task force officers responded to Holland Michigan, where the Holland Police Department conducted an operation resulting in the arrest of the suspect around 5:15 a.m. Central Time."
An arson investigation was also initiated, assisted by the State Fire Marshalls who responded to the scene, according to police.
Police say the unidentified suspect will not fight extradition from Michigan back to Illinois.
According to a Go Fund Me page for Koteski's family, "His generosity, friendship, and kindness are well known among the Macedonian and Serbian community and Church."
ATG Truckload has 25 drivers, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's SAFER website.
