Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—A Park Forest woman faces a DUI charge after she allegedly hit a parked car at New Salem and Herndon Streets. According to police, a teenage family member was with her in the car then.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through May 17, 2024
DUI: Driver Allegedly Hit Parked Car
Police arrested Nicole M. Bays, 42, Park Forest, on May 16 and charged her with driving while under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and improper lane usage. Ms. Bays had an initial court date of June 17 at the Markham Courthouse.
At 11:07 PM, police responded to the New Salem Street and Herndon Street intersection because of a call about an accident. Upon arrival, an officer saw a white 2017 Nissan Sentra that had crashed into a parked car.
Nicole M. Bays was inside the white Nissan Sentra in the driver’s seat, according to police. A teenage family member was with her in the passenger seat. Both told police they were okay and did not need medical assistance.
Driver’s Car Severely Damaged. Parked Car Empty.
Ms. Bays’s vehicle sustained severe damage to the front bumper and front driver-side quarter panel, according to police. The front driver-side wheel also sustained severe damage to its axle and was wholly disconnected from the rest of the Nissan’s frame, according to police.
The parked car had no one inside.
Ms. Bays told police she was driving southbound on New Salem St. from her home on Gentry Street. According to the report, she allegedly told police she crashed into the parked car because it was at an angle and obstructed part of the street.
Police note in the report that the other vehicle appeared to have been appropriately parked on the side of the street before the collision. They assert that the final position of the car Ms. Bays hit was not consistent with it being parked improperly or blocking the middle of the roadway, according to police.
Ms. Bays told police she was driving at about 20 mph before the collision.
Police: Driver “Became Uncooperative”
An officer told Ms. Bays that police were arranging a tow for her car since it was incapacitated and obstructed the roadway. Ms. Bays told police she preferred to call for a tow herself. The officer told her she may attempt to do so. She then told police that her phone was off and she would need to charge it, according to police. The officer told Ms. Bays this would take too much time and the street needed to be clear at a reasonable time, according to police.
According to police, Ms. Bays then allegedly became uncooperative with officers. She reportedly said she would not permit her car to be towed because she believed police were attempting to make money from towing it. An officer told her this was not the case.
The owner of the parked car and other neighbors came outside. According to police, Ms. Bays then allegedly became aggressive with the owner of that car. Police approached Ms. Bays in an attempt to defuse the situation. They explained the towing procedures after accidents.
Police Suspect DUI
At this time, the officer speaking with her was closer to Ms. Bays and noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her breath. According to the report, Ms. Bays also had bloodshot and glassy eyes.
The neighbors told police they believed Ms. Bays was driving while under the influence. Ms. Bays allegedly responded, “Do you want to do a breathalyzer?”
The officer asked if Ms. Bays would be willing to take A Standardized Field Sobriety Test. According to police, she agreed. After the tests, the officer who administered them told her she was under arrest. According to the report, Ms. Bays then allegedly became “highly uncooperative” with police. Officers secured her in handcuffs and transported her to the Park Forest Police Department. There, Ms. Bays refused to submit to a BAC test, according to police.
Aggravated Battery to an Officer
Police arrested Kennedy E. McGhee, 21, South Holland, on May 17 and charged her with aggravated battery to an officer, two counts of resisting, improper parking on a roadway, and illegal transportation of alcohol.
Police responded to Wilson Court to investigate a report of a suspicious automobile at 4:49 AM. Dispatch told police there was a car outside with lights on since 4 AM.
When police arrived, they found a maroon 2004 Toyota Corolla parked in the middle of the road. According to police, the car was running, its headlights were on, and the driver was asleep in the driver’s seat.
Police: The driver does not provide her name.
An officer contacted the driver, later identified as Kennedy E. McGee. According to police, the officer asked the driver for her name numerous times. According to the report, Ms. McGee initially would not give her name. Eventually, she gave her first name, “Kennedy,” and told an officer, “Look me up.” Officers told her they needed more information to do so. She allegedly refused to provide more details.
An officer then told Ms. McGee that parking in the middle of the street was a traffic violation and that she had to identify herself. According to police, Ms. McGee then complied and told officers her name.
An officer saw a bottle of tequila on the floorboard behind the front passenger seat. The officer asked Ms. McGee to step out of the vehicle. According to police, she allegedly did not comply despite numerous requests.
Police Attempt to Pull Driver from Car
The officer then ordered her to get out of the car, or she would go to jail, and she allegedly refused, according to police. The officer then attempted to pull Ms. McGee by her left arm from the vehicle. However, Ms. McGee held on to the steering wheel with her right arm and would not move, according to police.
Another officer warned her that he would stun her with his Taser if she did not comply. Ms. McGee allegedly did not comply. This officer then stunned Ms. McGee with his department-issued Taser on her right arm, according to police.
Ms. McGee then let go of the wheel, and the other officer pulled her out of the car.
Police then forced Ms. McGee to the ground and handcuffed her, according to police. Police told her they were arresting her on suspicion of obstructing a peace officer. One of the officers then confirmed that the bottle on the floorboard was an almost empty tequila bottle, according to police.
Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance
Police arrested Latonya Johnson, 41, Chicago, on May 17 and charged her with one felony count of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ms. Johnson’s initial court date was May 28 at the Will County Courthouse.
Police responded to a residence on North Arbor Trail at 10:20 PM to investigate a report of a domestic incident. SouthCom Dispatch told officers a woman from the domestic incident had left the residence and was waiting in the lobby of the apartment building. Dispatch also told officers that the man involved in the incident kicked the woman out of the residence as she allegedly had drugs in the bathroom, according to police.
Report: They were drinking together.
Upon arrival, an officer saw the woman, later identified as Latonya Johnson, sitting in the lobby. She told police the man sent an Uber for her to come from Chicago and hang out with him at his home at North Arbor Trail. While they were together drinking, the man allegedly became upset with her. The two got into an argument “about her doing her business and then sending her back home,” according to the report.
Ms. Johnson told police she got upset and went into the restroom. She alleged the man charged into the restroom and got upset because she was in the bathroom too long, according to police. He then kicked her out of the residence, according to police.
She allegedly told officers she did not have any identification on her as she was homeless, according to police. Police told Ms. Johnson that dispatch informed them she was kicked out because she was doing drugs in the bathroom, according to police. Ms. Johnson said she only had her prescription in her bag and no other drugs.
Police Search Woman’s Bag
Police asked permission to search her bag, which she allegedly consented to. During the search, police asked her what her name was. According to police, she reportedly provided a name that was different from her actual name.
Police found medication in her bag with the name Latonya Johnson. Ms. Johnson then confirmed this was her name. An officer ran her name through SouthCom Dispatch. They learned that she had an extraditable arrest warrant from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office on a charge of possession of controlled substance. Police confirmed that the warrant was valid.
While an officer was searching her bag, Ms. Johnson pulled items quickly out of the bag. Another officer watched her drop a small bag of suspected crack cocaine from her hand onto the floor. Police asked her what she just dropped. She allegedly responded, “I do drugs,” according to police.
Police arrested her.
A female officer from the Richton Park Police Department responded to the location and searched Ms. Johnson. During the search, the officer found a glass pipe and another bag of suspected crack cocaine in her bra, 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.
