Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Editor’s Note: These Park Forest Police blotter reports cover April 24 through April 30, 2018. Charges include violation of the sex offender registration act. Other charges include DUI and domestic battery. We are working to provide more details in reports now that we offer subscriptions.
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eNews Park Forest reports this information because the public in the United States has the right to know. When that information is withheld or under-reported, it leaves questions. We also want to show the work that the police force does every day that is not reported. Police in Park Forest respond to thousands of calls per year, the vast majority of which do not entail arrests. Whether it’s conducting a routine investigation, pulling over a drunk driver, or responding to a possible theft at a store, the work of the police officer deserves acknowledgement by the public.
An arrest does not mean that a person is guilty. All those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is the policy of eNews Park Forest to not remove items in the public record from publication. If your name is listed in the police reports, we will only add information relevant to the final disposition of the case at hand, e.g. “Mr. Smith was subsequently acquitted,” “Mr. Smith entered a guilty plea,” or “All charges against Mr. Smith were subsequently dropped.” We will do so upon receiving and verifying proof of such disposition.
Persons wishing to leave anonymous information on any criminal matters including narcotics or gang activity are encouraged to call the Park Forest Police Department Investigations Division at (708) 748-1309.
DUI
Jerrrell E. Craft, 37, 22430 Regency Dr., Richton Park, was arrested on April 25 and charged with DUI, DUI with a BAC greater than 0.08, illegal transportation of alcohol, operating without insurance, and improper lane use.
An officer traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail near Windsor Street at 12:56 AM observed a vehicle approximately half of the vehicle length behind his squad car drift left, over the white dashed lane into a passing lane. The vehicle then drifted right, into the curb lane and, seconds later, drifted left once again over the white dashed lane line into a passing lane, according to police. The vehicle was also traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail.
The officer entered a left turning lane near Rich East High School and allowed the vehicle to pass his squad car. The officer followed the vehicle, observing it drift right over the white fog line and onto the south curb of Sauk Trail, according to the report. The officer entered the curb lane behind the vehicle and activated the emergency lights of his squad. The vehicle came to a stop in the intersection, on top of the north-south crosswalk at South Orchard Drive.
Upon speaking with the driver, later determined to be Jerrell E. Craft, the officer immediately detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from Mr. Craft’s breath, according to the report. The officer asked Mr. Craft why he stopped his vehicle in the crosswalk. Mr. Craft told the officer that he was “trying to turn” and that he was driving his female passenger home but did not know the route, according to police. Mr. Craft formed the officer that his female passenger was “pretty much out of it.” The officer asked Mr. Craft to explain what he meant and Mr. Craft related that his passenger was intoxicated, according to police.
The officer asked Mr. Craft if he had had anything to drink and he replied that he did not, according to police. When asked to produce his driver’s license and insurance, Mr. Craft inadvertently pressed his foot on the accelerator of the vehicle while trying to remove his wallet, according to police.
The officer asked Mr. Craft to relocate his vehicle to the west curb side of South Orchard Drive for safety reasons.
Another officer arrived on the scene to assist. The officer asked Mr. Craft form Field Sobriety Tests, and he complied. After conducting the tests, the officer placed Mr. Craft under arrest on a charge of driving under the influence. After conducting a 20 minute observation. At the Park Forest Police Department, Mr. Craft provided a breath sample indicating that he had a BAC of .243, according to police.
Domestic Battery
JC Camell, 53, 77 Cherry St., Park Forest, was arrested on April 26 and charged with domestic battery after police responded to the first block of Cherry Street to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance in progress. Southcom Dispatch advised police that a man and a juvenile were fighting in front of a residence in the first block of Cherry Street. According to police, the man, JC Camell, allegedly punched the juvenile in the face and cut his lip open.
Violation of the Sex Offender Registration Act
Chance L. Houlden, 34, 413 Indianwood Blvd., Park Forest, was arrested on April 28 and charged with one felony count of violation of the sex offender registration act, and also charged with domestic battery.
A Detective was assigned on April 25, 2018, to investigate a report of aggravated domestic battery that had reportedly occurred in the 400 block of Indianwood Boulevard on April 24, 2018. The detective was informed that the incident involved Chance Houlden, and that Mr. Houlden was possibly in violation of the sex offender registration act, according to police.
Mr. Houlden was currently registered in Lansing, Illinois, but was residing in Park Forest with his wife, according to police.
The detective located two prior domestic calls at that address involving Mr. Houlden, one from December 16, 2016, and the other from February 4, 2018, according to police. With respect to the 2016 report, Mr. Houlden agreed to leave the residence and said he would ask for a police escort in the future for the rest of his belongings. The incident of February 4 involved a verbal altercation, according to police.
Park Forest police officers conducted a well-being check at 413 Indianwood Boulevard on April 28, 2018, due to the complainant not returning phone calls to the detective. Officers made contact at the residence and learned that Mr. Houlden was sleeping on the couch inside the residence. Mr. Houlden was taken into custody and transported to the Park Forest Police Department.
Police canvassed the neighborhood and determined that Mr. Houlden had been living at 413 Indianwood Boulevard for over a year, according to police. Mr. Houlden allegedly told police during an interview that he is a registered sex offender in Lansing, Illinois, and spends half of his time living in Lansing and the other half of the time living at 413 Indianwood in Park Forest, according to police.
Aggravated Driving While License Revoked
Gary M. Manthei, 51, 324 Sangamon St., Park Forest, was arrested on April 30 and charged with one felony count of aggravated driving while license was revoked and one felony count of using a false name on an application of registration. Mr. Manthei was also charged with operating an uninsured motor vehicle. This report is covered in more detail here.
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