Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- A driver caught allegedly speeding in a school zone on Indiana Street now faces two felony charges. One charge is a felony DUI, the other felony driving with a revoked license. Besides the report of the driver, who police said was speeding in the school zone, these reports include four other incidents.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through November 29, 2023
Operating Motor Vehicle with Suspended Registration: No Arrest
On November 26, police issued municipal citations to Siki R. Dawson, 11820 S. Emerald Ave., Chicago, charging operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration and speeding. This was after an officer patrolling at 7:31 PM saw a car driving westbound on Sauk Trail from Indianwood Boulevard at a high rate of speed, according to police.
The vehicle was reportedly traveling 56 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to police. Police seized the vehicle Mr. Dawson was driving as the Calumet Park Police Department entered the car into the law enforcement database as “felonious.” The vehicle was allegedly used in an aggravated discharge of a firearm incident, according to police.
Police released Mr. Dawson from the scene. According to the report, he has a court date of January 17, 2024, at the Markham Courthouse.
Domestic Battery
Police charged Micah L. Reed, 22, 415 Sandburg St., Park Forest, with one count of domestic battery on November 27.
Police responded to a home on Sandburg Street to investigate a report of domestic battery. When officers arrived, they could hear “a loud commotion” coming from inside the residence.
The Alleged Offense
According to police, Mr. Reed allegedly grabbed a woman by the shoulders and began to push her toward the Christmas tree. Then, with closed fists, using both hands, he reportedly punched the woman in the face “approximately four times,” according to the report.
Felony Aggravated Driving while License was Suspended
Police arrested Marquis D. Collins, 49, 331 Concord Dr., Chicago Heights, on November 27 and charged him with felony aggravated driving while his license was suspended, and issued citations charging no seatbelt and no insurance. He had a preliminary court appearance at the Markham Courthouse on November 28, 2023.
Police gave a passenger in the car, Demetrus R. Ross, 48, 1945 Yale Ave., Chicago Heights, a municipal ticket charging no seatbelt.
Driver Allegedly Wore No Seatbelt
An officer patrolling at 8:33 PM saw a van traveling slowly eastbound on Sauk Trail. Due to the slow speed, the officer “was able to see clearly that the driver was not wearing a seatbelt,” according to the report.
The officer initiated a traffic stop at Western Avenue and Dogwood Street.
Past Convictions
The officer learned from a computer inquiry that the driver, Marquis D. Collins, had suspended driving privileges on a statutory summary suspension from 2003, according to police. Mr. Collins’s license also showed two revocations, one relating to a DUI offense and one relating to driving without a license, according to police.
An officer reviewed Mr. Collins’s driving history and learned that he was eligible for felony charges due to six previous convictions of driving while his license was suspended. These convictions also occurred during the above statutory summary suspension, according to police.
Mr. Collins had a preliminary court appearance at the Markham Courthouse on November 28, 2023.
Obstructing Identification
Police arrested Jashaun A. Johnson, 24, 195 Washington St., Park Forest, on November 28 and charged him with obstructing identification and no seatbelt.
Mr. Johnson was a passenger in the vehicle and allegedly gave police a false name when they asked him his identity. Police conducted a fingerprint inquiry at the Park Forest Police Department and learned Mr. Johnson’s name. His court date was January 2, 2024, at the Markham Courthouse.
Police gave the driver, Jaylean A. Ross, 24, 190 Washington St., Park Forest, municipal tickets charging no seatbelt and possession of cannabis. The driver was not placed under arrest.
Police: Speeding in a School Zone to Felony DUI
Police arrested DeMarco L. Burgs, 34, 1430 Donovan Dr., Chicago Heights, on November 29 and charged him with felony aggravated DUI and felony driving with a revoked license. Police also charged Mr. Burgs with speeding, no insurance, and illegal transportation of alcohol. Mr. Burgs faces these charges after allegedly speeding in the school zone in front of Indiana School.
An officer on patrol at 7:46 AM monitored vehicles driving in front of Indiana School. According to the report, the officer was looking for vehicles suspected of speeding in the school zone, according to police. According to the report, a silver Saturn approached, allegedly traveling westbound on Indiana Street at 41 mph in the 20 miles per our school zone.
The officer curbed the vehicle and spoke with the driver, DeMarco Burgs. The officer allegedly noted a strong smell of alcohol coming from Mr. Burgs’s breath.
Mr. Burgs did not have a license; he only had identification on his person, according to police.
Driver’s License Revoked
The officer discovered that Mr. Burgs’s driver’s license was revoked, according to police. The officer took Mr. Burgs into custody and transported him to the Park Forest Police Station. There, he read him his Miranda rights at 8:20 AM, according to the police.
The officer asked Mr. Burgs to complete a standardized Field sobriety test. After he finished the test, the officer asked him to take a breathalyzer test. According to the report, Mr. Burgs agreed and received a reading of .204 BAC.
According to the report, the officer then informed Mr. Burgs that he was being charged with a DUI. The officer called Cook County Felony Review, which approved the two felony charges, 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.
Police captured all the incidents in this report on body-worn and dash-mounted cameras by officers at the respective scenes, according to police. 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.
