Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- These reports include incidents through May 19, 2020. They include an incident involving a charge of trespassing and other incidents involving charges of domestic battery.
Please note that we repeatedly say “according to police” in these reports and often use the word “allegedly.” We are not asserting in any way that those arrested and/or charged have committed any offenses. We report on what is in the media reports furnished by police. As those charged are innocent until proven guilty, the burden is on prosecutors and police to prove all alleged crimes.
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eNews Park Forest has always published 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 who have been charged, including their name, age, and address. This information is necessary to ensure the proper identity of those arrested.
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.
All of the incidents in these reports were captured on body-worn and/or dash-mounted cameras by officers at the respective scenes, according to police. All Park Forest police officers wear body-worn cameras. These devices are now typically abbreviated BWC in the reports.
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.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through May 19, 2020
Trespassing
Curtis L. Whittington, 49, 1934 Division St., Chicago Heights, was issued a municipal citation on May 13 charging trespassing after police were dispatched at 2:50 PM to the 300 block of Juniper Street in reference to a report of trespassing.
Upon arrival at the property, Juniper Towers, officers were met by property managers who informed them that Mr. Whittington is banned from the premise.
Mr. Whittington was banned from the premise because of an incident in 2018 when he was involved in a domestic call involving Park Forest Police, according to the report. The complainant in that call had obtained an order of protection against Mr. Whittington, according to police.
Mr. Whittington told officers he arrived at Juniper Towers that day at approximately 7 AM, according to police. He said that he came to check on his mother and then cook her some food, according to police.
Police escorted Mr. Whittington out of the building without incident. One of the officers issued him the municipal citation charging trespassing. A property manager related that there was no possibility of Mr. Whittington being lifted from the banned list. He was advised of this and told not to return.
He was not arrested.
Domestic Battery
Treion J. Usher Jr., 35, 511 Antietam St., Park Forest, was arrested on May 13 and charged with domestic battery after police were dispatched to the 100 block of Algonquin Street to investigate a report of a disturbance.
Upon arrival, an officer observed a man standing in the driveway of a home. The man was wearing no shirt and he was breathing heavily, according to police. The officer tried speaking with the man but the man began walking away, waving his hands, according to police.
The officer recognized the man as Treion Usher due to prior contact with him, according to police.
Mr. Usher “was immediately uncooperative and would not speak” to the officer, according to the report. Mr. Usher allegedly began yelling verbal threats toward another man who was standing in the driveway of an adjoining residence, according to police.
Another officer began speaking with the other man and the first officer remained with Mr. Usher in an attempt to determine what had happened, according to police.
Mr. Usher allegedly continued to walk away from the officer, according to police. Mr. Usher “became increasingly aggressive and allegedly stated, ‘I’m gonna blow this bitch up tonight,'” according to the report.
Mr. Usher walked to the rear of the residence and began yelling at another man who was attempting to calm him, according to police. Mr. Usher walked to a glass patio table and allegedly flipped it over and began yelling aggressively, according to police. Mr. Usher “was out of control and appeared to be highly intoxicated,” according to the report.
An officer then detained Mr. Usher by pointing his Taser light at him, ordering him to the ground. Police then handcuffed Mr. Usher pending further investigation, according to police. While handcuffed and still on the ground, Mr. Usher allegedly kicked and screamed making threats toward one of the other men, according to police.
While speaking with the witnesses, police were told that Mr. Usher allegedly grabbed another man by his collar and began physically shoving him, allegedly attempting to slam him to the ground, according to police. During the physical dispute, the other man sustained minor skin abrasions to his neck and arms, according to police.
Police transported Mr. Usher to the Park Forest Police Department where he was placed in a holding cell pending transport to the Cook County Jail, according to police. The man with whom Mr. Usher was allegedly involved in the physical confrontation signed criminal complaints against Mr. Usher, according to police.
Domestic Battery
Florentino Ramirez, 51, 339 Miami St., Park Forest, was arrested on May 17 and charged with domestic battery after police were dispatched to the 300 block of Sauk Trail in reference to a report of a domestic incident.
Upon arrival, an officer spoke with a woman who said that the father of her youngest child had been living with her for about a month, according to police. She recently put insurance on her vehicle but Florentino Ramirez allegedly became upset because she did not put him on the car insurance, according to police.
Mr. Ramirez allegedly pushed her multiple times and that’s when she decided to pull out her handgun in self-defense because she felt threatened by him, according to police.
She had a valid FOID, according to police.
Mr. Ramirez countered that the woman wanted him to go buy her some blunts but he refused because he wasn’t on her car insurance, according to police. Mr. Ramirez said they began arguing, so Mr. Ramirez began grabbing his cable box and television to leave the residence, according to police. He said that the woman allegedly began striking him and he used his arm to block her but denies ever touching anyone, according to police.
Criminal Trespass, Domestic Battery
Arnold P. Wimberly, 48, 229 Lee St., Park Forest, was arrested on May 17 and charged with violation of an order of protection, domestic battery, and criminal trespass to property when police were dispatched to the 200 block of Lee Street in reference to a 911 hang-up call. SouthCom advised responding officers that a second 911 call came in and they heard a woman yelling at someone to get out and a third caller advised that adults were fighting, according to police.
Upon arrival, an officer saw a man, later identified as Arnold P. Wimberly, enter a vehicle that was parked in the driveway. The officer saw a woman standing in the front door of the residence yelling at officers to get Mr. Wimberly, according to police.
The officer spoke with Mr. Wimberly said he was dropping his daughter off at the residence after spending the day with her for her birthday, according to police. Mr. Wimberly said he helped his daughter to the door and believed that his wife had a male friend over, according to police. The two are in the process of separating, according to police.
Mr. Wimberly said he entered the residence at which time an argument ensued, according to police.
According to the woman inside, Mr. Wimberly followed his daughter to the door and allegedly forced his way in behind her by pushing through the doorway, according to police. The woman said she immediately told Mr. Wimberly to leave the home but he continued inside anyway, according to police. The woman said she stood her ground in front of the stairs at which time Mr. Wimberly allegedly threw a tire iron past her and allegedly grabbed her right arm to move her away from the stairs, according to police.
She said she had some discoloration and bruising to her right elbow from where Mr. Wimberly allegedly grabbed her and she asked her daughters to call 911 for assistance, according to police.
The woman told police that only she and her daughters lived at the residence and no man lives there with them, according to police.
There is no mention in the report of anyone else in the residence at the time of this incident.