Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- As we continue to make our way through the first two weeks of August, we come to a man arrested and charged with driving under the influence. Police found him in his car in the grass at the entrance of a cooperative Court. He apparently had been driving with only three tires and one wheel riding on the rim.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through August 14, 2023, Part III
DUI – Car Was Riding on a Rim
Police arrested Robert G. Warren Jr., 38, 637 W. Palm Dr., Glenwood, on August 7 and charged him with driving under the influence of alcohol, use of unsafe tires, and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.
SouthCom Dispatch sent officers to Court E-9 at 3:50 AM in reference to a report of suspicious circumstances. According to SouthCom, a white, four-door Chevy sedan was in the grass near the co-op with the motor running, still occupied. The car may have hit the curb, SouthCom told officers.
Police arrived to find that the vehicle indeed was still occupied. Other officers arrived to assist.
They found a white, 2014 Chevrolet Impala registered to Robert Warren Jr. The car was in the grass area near the entrance of the co-op’s Court E-9. The grass had been pushed up and the vehicle’s tires were in the mud, according to police.
The front driver side of the vehicle had no tire, according to the report. That wheel had been riding on the rim.
The driver cannot explain why he was riding on the rim.
As an officer approached the car, a man, later identified as Robert G. Warren, got out of the car. Mr. Wharton said that he was the only person in the car. He was unable to explain to police why he was driving without a tire, according to police.
Officers observed that Mr. Warren had glassy eyes, according to the report. Also, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath, according to police.
According to police, he “rambled on” while answering questions. Police said he appeared to be confused as to how he ended up in the grassy area, according to the report.
Driver Dialogues with Police
An officer asked Mr. Warren what happened. He allegedly responded, “I slipped about right there and I can’t come out,” according to the report.
The officer asked him how he slipped and Mr. Warren allegedly said, “I don’t even know.”
The officer asked Mr. Warren where he came from and where he was going. Mr. Warren allegedly responded, “Straight.”
The officer then asked him what way he was going on Western Avenue. Mr. Warren allegedly said, “Straight… No, no. I was coming in,” according to the report.
The officer asked if he lived in that co-op court. Mr. Warren said he did and that he resided at an address in the 100 block of Fir Street, according to the report.
Then, Mr. Warren allegedly stated he was, “coming around,” according to the report.
According to police, the address he named on Further Street is in Court F-3, not Court E-9 where they were at the time.
The officer asked Mr. Warren if he was going. Mr. Warren allegedly responded, “No, I am, I just couldn’t get out,” according to the report. Mr. Warren allegedly told officers Long Island, Patron, and one shot of “anejo” when they asked if he had anything to drink, according to the report.
Driver Submits to Field Sobriety Tests
An officer asked Mr. Warren if he was willing to do field sobriety tests. He responded that he was. Mr. Warren then allegedly stated, “Actually, I haven’t drank [sic] in a long time and this was the first time,” according to the report.
After the field sobriety tests, police told Mr. Warren he was under arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
At the police department, Mr. Warren agreed to take a breath test but gave an insufficient breath sample, according to police. After three unsuccessful attempts, police logged the breath test as a refusal, according to the report.
About Police Reports
Please note that we repeatedly say “according to police” in these reports and often use “allegedly.” We are not asserting in any way that those police arrested and charged committed any offenses. We report on what is in the reports that the police furnish to us. As those accused are innocent until proven guilty, the burden is on prosecutors and police to prove all alleged crimes.
eNews Park Forest has continuously published the addresses of those arrested and will continue to do so. 5 ILCS 140/2.15 states that the governmental body (for these reports, the Police Department), shall release information on those charged, including their name, age, and address. This information is necessary to ensure the proper identity of those arrested.
Presumption of Innocence
An arrest does not mean that a person is guilty. The law presumes all those whom police arrest are innocent until proven guilty. It is the policy of eNews Park Forest not to remove items from the public record from publication. Suppose you find your name in the police reports. Our policy is that 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.
We do not strike, “unpublish,” or delete news.
According to police, officers captured all the incidents in this report on body-worn and dash-mounted cameras at the respective scenes. All Park Forest police officers wear body-worn cameras. Officials typically abbreviate these devices as BWC in the reports.
We encourage persons wishing to leave anonymous information on any criminal matters, including narcotics or gang activity, to call the Park Forest Police Department Investigations Division at (708) 748-1309.
