Law and Order, Local Police Reports, Park Forest

Late December 2022 Police Reports from Park Forest

Chief of Police Paul Winfrey, Sergeant Meghan Vold, and Deputy Chief John DeCeault with colleagues, friends, and family members.
Chief of Police Paul Winfrey, Sergeant Meghan Vold, and Deputy Chief John DeCeault with colleagues, friends, and family members prior to them taking the oath of office Monday night. (Photo: Gary Kopycinski)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- A ten day period leading to late December 2022 was unfortunately a busy time for police. There were 14 arrests between December 13 and 23. We have reported on several already. These reports take us to December 21. There are still six to go.

Charges in these four incidents include possession of a controlled substance, domestic battery, and battery.

Possession of a Controlled Substance

Vaughnn D. Samuels Jr., 23, 4191 W. 190th Pl., Country Club Hills, was arrested on December 18 and issued a citation charging failure to signal when required and charged with possession of a controlled substance after an officer saw a vehicle turned eastbound onto Miami Street from Main Street allegedly without using a turn signal.

This officer spoke with the driver, identified as Vaughnn Samuels Jr. The officer smelled a strong odor of burnt cannabis coming from the vehicle, according to the report. The officer asked Mr. Samuels about the smell and Mr. Samuels allegedly said he was just at work in Richton Park and he smoked cannabis in his car, according to police.

The officer asked Mr. Samuels to exit the vehicle in order to conduct a search of the car.

When he got out of the car, Mr. Samuels held on to a red book bag, according to police. The officer asked Mr. Samuels to leave the book bag in the car and Mr. Samuels told the officer that the bag belonged to him, according to police. The officer asked Mr. Samuels if there was anything in the book bag and Mr. Samuels said that he had some “lean,” according to the report.

The officer conducted a search of the vehicle and found a baby bottle filled with a green liquid which she recognized as possible Codeine, according to police. The officer also found several bags with a green leafy substance which were not ownerless, childproof, and did not contain a dispensary label, according to police.

The officer placed Mr. Samuels under arrest. The vehicle was towed from the scene and administratively seized per village ordinance.

At the Park Forest Police Department, an officer asked Mr. Samuels to explain what was contained in the “lean,” the report says. Mr. Samuels allegedly stated it was Codeine. He said he did not know of any other substances the liquid contained. The officer asked Mr. Samuels if the liquid contained Morphine and Samuels said, “It better not.”

Domestic Battery

Samuel L. Clark, 34, 68 Indianwood Blvd., Park Forest, was arrested on December 20 and charged with domestic battery when police responded to Indianwood Boulevard at Court G-3 to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance. While responding, SouthCom Dispatch told officers that a juvenile was on the phone reporting that a man named Sam was jumping on his mother, according to police.

When police arrived on the scene, one officer saw two children outside the home and the officer could hear a woman inside “in obvious distress,” crying, according to the report. The officer then saw the mother, the alleged victim, exit the residence holding her three-year-old daughter on her hip, according to police.

As the officer got closer to the door of the residence, the officer heard a “heated verbal exchange” coming from within between the woman and Samuel Clark, according to police.

As an officer entered the residence, the officer saw Samuel allegedly advancing towards the woman attempting to grab her, according to police. The officer instructed Mr. Clark to step outside and police separated the parties, according to the report.

The woman alleged that Mr. Clark put hands on her and her child, that she was scratched, it in the face, and “thrown all over the floor,” according to the report. The woman said her entire face was sore and that Mr. Clark allegedly threw her daughter out of the way, according to police.

Battery

Amanda C. Ayers, 28, 95 Fir St., Park Forest, was arrested on December 21 and charged with one count of battery when police responded to a residence on Lakewood Boulevard regarding a battery complaint.

A woman told police she was at Michelle Obama School to see her daughter in a play. She said the child’s father, with whom she is not in a relationship, was also at the school with his current girlfriend, Amanda C. Ayers.

After the play, the woman went to take a picture, according to the report. Immediately after the photo was taken, Ms. Ayers allegedly pushed the woman against a wall and hit her on the right side of the face with a closed fist, according to police. Staff members at the school and other people in the area then separated the two women, according to police. The woman alleged she was struck called 911.

Warrant

Mary L. Hudson, 29, 8111 S. Indiana Ave., Chicago, was arrested on December 21 in connection with a bond forfeiture warrant out of Ford County when police discovered a warrant after they responded to a home on Nauvoo Street to check the well being of a subject, 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.

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