Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The last two weeks of November were particularly busy for police, and we’re not through with them yet. Police charged five people with DUI over this period. These reports include one of those DUIs. In this case, a Park Forest woman is facing charges of DUI and endangering the life of a child. According to police, her daughter was in the car when she collided with another driver on Western Avenue.
First, two other reports that preceded the incident that led to the DUI and endangering a child charges.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Nov. 30 Through Dec. 1, 2023
Domestic Battery
Police arrested Brittney Del Toro, 30, 4 Nassau Ct., Park Forest, on November 30 and charged her with domestic battery and four counts of resisting. Ms. Del Toro allegedly physically assaulted the complainant approximately 15 times. She reportedly did so with closed-fist punches and open-hand slaps to his face that caused injury, according to police.
Ms. Del Toro was intoxicated, according to the report. She allegedly resisted when officers were placing her inside a cell at the police station, according to police.
Driving While License Suspended, Possession of a Controlled Substance
Police arrested Mario R. Gregory, 32, 72 W. 19th St., Chicago Heights, on November 30 and charged him with one count of possession of a controlled substance and issued traffic citations to him charging speeding and driving while his license was suspended.
Silver Car Allegedly Speeding
An officer was driving eastbound on 26th Street from Birch Street at approximately 12:07 PM when he saw a silver sedan also traveling eastbound at what appeared to be a high rate of speed, according to police. Using his vehicle’s radar, the officer confirmed that the car was allegedly traveling at 54 mph in the posted 40 mph zone, according to police.
According to police, the officer activated the emergency lighting on his patrol vehicle and curbed the vehicle just west of Euclid Avenue. When he approached the car, the driver and sole occupant, Mario Gregory, allegedly told the officer that his driver’s license was suspended and he could not find his vehicle insurance, according to police.
Officers took him into custody.
While searching his vehicle, police located a small, clear plastic Ziploc bag underneath the driver’s seat. The bag contained a white rock-like substance consistent with crack cocaine, according to police.
DUI and Endangering the Life of a Child
Police arrested Verdine L. Nunn, 38, 112 Algonquin St., Park Forest, on December 1 and charged her with driving under the influence of alcohol, resisting arrest, endangering the life of a child, battery, and issued a citation charging improper turn.
An officer responded to a business on Western Avenue just north of 26th Street to investigate a property damage accident. It was 3:52 PM. The complainant said he was driving northbound on Western Avenue near Algonquin Street when a black SUV allegedly made an abrupt left-hand turn from Algonquin onto southbound Western Avenue. The man said he was unable to avoid colliding with the black SUV.
Police: Other driver tried to “beat the vehicles” approaching Algonquin.
The officer identified the driver of the other vehicle as Verdine L. Nunn. Ms. Nunn told the officer she was turning left onto Western Avenue from Algonquin Street, attempting to beat the cars approaching Algonquin Street.
According to the report, she allegedly said she was unsuccessful and collided with the other car.
While speaking with Ms. Nunn, the officer detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage coming from her breath. According to the report, she often slurred her speech, took a while to answer questions, and repeated herself while talking to the officer.
The officer asked her how many alcoholic drinks she had consumed and she allegedly said, “One cup,” according to police. Speaking further with her, the officer learned that she had reportedly consumed Amsterdam alcohol, a brand of vodka, according to police.
Field Sobriety Tests
The officer asked Ms. Nunn to perform field sobriety tests and she agreed. After the tests, the officer informed Ms. Dunn that she was under arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Ms. Nunn allegedly began to resist arrest by “interlocking her arms, refusing to be handcuffed,” according to police. As she reportedly continued to resist and “after a struggle,” the officer performed a takedown on her, police said. This was due to her alleged “aggressive behavior and refusing to be handcuffed,” according to the report.
Driver Allegedly Kicks an Officer
While escorting Ms. Nunn to the squad, she allegedly battered another officer, kicking him in the buttocks area with her right leg, according to police.
At the Park Forest Police Department, Ms. Nunn consented to submit to a breath test. The breathalyzer operator, different than the arresting officer, gave her several instructions on how to properly complete the breath tests. Still, she allegedly failed to provide a sufficient breath sample, according to police. Because of this, police marked her test as a refusal, according to police.
According to the report, besides the DUI, police charged Ms. Nunn with endangering the life of a child as her daughter was in the car with her. She allegedly drove under the influence with her daughter in the car, according to police.
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.
