Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—A woman driving a vehicle police discovered was stolen told officers a deceased friend left the car with her. Officers suspected the vehicle was stolen as it had a broken and taped passenger-side window. The registration on the car also appeared suspicious, police said.
The “deceased friend” in this story may never have existed, contrary to another story from another time. Police learned the vehicle’s owner was alive. He was not the driver’s deceased friend and insisted on pursuing criminal charges against the driver.
In another instance, police said a man they pulled over gave them a false name. The name he gave officers happened to belong to someone with an arrest warrant out of Will County.
After police arrested him, he provided officers with his true identity, police said.
These and other reports follow.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Beginning December 17, 2024
Domestic Battery
Police arrested Rezonia L. Morris, 37, of the 7600 block of S. Shore Dr., Chicago, on December 17 and charged her with domestic battery. Police responded to an address on Sauk Trail at 11:15 AM to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance. The complainant alleged that Ms. Morris smacked him across the face with an open right hand. Police took her into custody without any resistance. Ms. Morris also allegedly admitted to breaking windows at the home with a shoe, police said.
Suspended License
Police arrested Alexander N. Davis, 29, of the 8000 block of Pine Island Court, Crownpoint, Indiana, on December 19 and charged him with driving with a suspended license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, expired registration, and obstructing identification.
An officer traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail toward Western Avenue saw a white 2014 Volkswagen heading eastbound on Sauk Trail in front of him. It was 12:17 AM. The officer conducted a LEADS inquiry and learned that the vehicle’s registration had expired in 2021, according to police.
Police: The Man gave a false name, but that person had a warrant.
Initiating a traffic stop, the officer stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Sauk Trail and Western Avenue. Speaking with the driver, the officer learned that the driver did not have his license on him. However, he gave the officer his name and date of birth.
SouthCom Dispatch informed the officer that the person whose name the driver allegedly provided had an active failure to appear arrest warrant out of Will County. Police told the driver to exit the vehicle and took him into custody.
Upon arrival at the Park Forest Police Department, the driver informed the arresting officer that his name was Alexander Davis. Police said he had allegedly admitted to having a suspended license.
The arresting officer performed a fingerprint inquiry on Mr. Davis. This returned as Alexander Davis, age 29, had a license suspended out of Indiana, according to police.
According to police, Mr. Davis’s initial court date was February 26, 2025, at the Markham Courthouse.
Criminal Trespass to a Vehicle of a “Deceased Friend”
Police arrested Jacquenette Brown, 55, of the 22200 block of Latonia Ln., Richton Park, on December 19, and charged her with criminal trespass of a vehicle, suspended driver’s license, and possession of adult use cannabis in a vehicle.
Two officers patrolled the 400 block of Sauk Trail at 12:43 AM when they saw a white Jeep Grand Cherokee parked in the convenience store parking lot. One officer noticed that the registration plate appeared to be fictitious due to its coloring and font size. The other officer saw that the rear passenger-side window had been taped up. According to police, this is consistent with stolen vehicles.
After investigating the registration through SouthCom dispatch, police learned it belonged to a gray 2023 Ford out of Chicago Heights. An officer then conducted a VIN check through SouthCom Dispatch.
While waiting for the VIN to return information, a woman, later identified as Jacquenette Brown, exited the store and got in the Jeep. Ms. Brown exited the parking lot and drove the white Jeep. At this point, police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle.
Police Learn Vehicle Reported Stolen
Police spoke to Ms. Brown and told her the reason for the stop. During that time, SouthCom dispatch advised that the Jeep had been reported stolen from Chicago, according to police.
Ms. Brown produced an Illinois identification card. Police learned that she did not have a valid driver’s license due to a suspension. Ms. Brown allegedly told police she had been using the Jeep since April after her friend loaned it to her and then passed away, police said.
Police took Ms. Brown into custody.
Searching the vehicle, police found several brand-name jackets in the trunk, multiple designer baggies with a green leafy substance, suspect cannabis, and a 375 mL bottle of liquor with approximately three-quarters of the bottle missing. Police transported Ms. Brown to the Park Forest Police Department, pending further investigation.
An officer smelled alcohol on Ms. Brown’s breath, so police asked her to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. She agreed. After performing the tests as she was able, Ms. Brown submitted a breath sample, which yielded a BAC of .000, according to police.
Driver Speaks of Deceased Friend Who Owned the Jeep
After that, Ms. Brown told police she had a close friend who drove the white Jeep. Occasionally, she said, he would leave the Jeep at her home. Earlier in the year, Ms. Brown learned that her friend passed away. She allegedly said that she did not return the Jeep because she didn’t know who to return it to, police said. She told police she didn’t realize the Jeep had been reported stolen.
Ms. Brown allegedly admitted to purchasing the cannabis in Harvey for $100. She said she bought the jackets as Christmas presents.
Police spoke with the Jeep owner, who, in fact, was alive. He was not the person Ms. Brown told police the car belonged to, her allegedly deceased friend. The actual owner reported the vehicle stolen in June 2024. He told police he gave no one permission to use his Jeep and still had the key fob for the car.
Police said he was adamant about pursuing criminal charges. Ms. Brown’s initial court date was February 10, 2025, at the Markham Courthouse.
DUI
Police arrested Rhonda Graham, 44, of the 500 block of Irving Pl., University Park, on December 21 and charged her with driving under the influence of alcohol and improper lane usage.
At 12:26 AM, an officer traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail toward Indianwood Boulevard saw a blue Hyundai with an “unreadable registration,” according to the report. The vehicle allegedly swerved multiple times to the curb on the right, almost riding over the curb and hitting a light pole, according to police.
The officer conducted a traffic stop and curbed the vehicle at the intersection of Sauk Trail and Indianwood Boulevard. The driver, Rhonda Graham, allegedly seemed confused and seemed to slur her words, according to police. While speaking with her, the officer noted a smell of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the vehicle. When asked where she was coming from, Ms. Graham allegedly admitted that she was coming from a bar in Chicago and had been drinking, police said.
The officer asked Ms. Graham to exit the vehicle and perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. After the tests, the officer arrested Ms. Graham on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. At the Park Forest Police Department, Ms. Graham submitted to a breathalyzer test, which yielded a BAC of 0.046, 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.
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.
