Domestic Incidents: Park Forest Police Beat Through September 17, 2018

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Editor’s Note: This police beat coverage represents reports from through September 17, 2018. There were only two arrests reported during this period, both relating to domestic incidents. One of these domestic incidents includes a charge of violation of a stalking no contact order. Information on the Stalking No Contact Order Act is at the end of these reports.

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eNews Park Forest reports this information because the public in the United States has the right to know.  When that information is withheld or under-reported, it leaves questions.  We also want to show the work that the police force does every day that is not reported.  Police in Park Forest respond to thousands of calls per year, the vast majority of which do not entail arrests.  Whether it’s conducting a routine investigation, pulling over a drunk driver, or responding to a possible theft at a store, the work of the police officer deserves acknowledgment by the public.

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.

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.

Violation of a Stalking No Contact Order

Antonia A. Carrell, 34, 105 Ash St., Park Forest, was arrested on September 11 and charged with one count of violation of a stalking no contact order after police were dispatched to the first block of Water Street at 2:45 PM regarding a report of a violation of an order of protection.

When police arrived, they spoke with the complainant who said that on August 21, 2018, she obtained a “Stalking No Contact Order” which stipulates that Antonia Carrell must stay at least 50 feet away from the complainant. Ms. Carrell also may not enter or remain at the complainant’s residence on Water Street, according to police.

The complainant told police that Ms. Carrell was not present that day for a scheduled court hearing at the DuPage County Courthouse regarding the stalking no contact order, according to police. As the complainant stood in the driveway of the residence on Water Street, she observed Ms. Carrell drive past the residence and later stop in front of the residence at which time Ms. Carrell allegedly made eye contact with the complainant, reached both arms out of the driver’s window of the vehicle, and allegedly gestured at the complainant with two middle fingers, according to police. The complainant then called the police.

Police made contact with Ms. Carrell and conducted an investigative stop on her vehicle at the intersection of Ash Street and 26th Street, according to police. Police placed Ms. Carrell under arrest and transported her to the Park Forest Police Department without incident, according to police. She was charged and processed on one count of violation of a stalking no contact order and received a bond hearing at Markham Courthouse, according to police.

Domestic Battery, Outstanding Warrant

Khadejah B. Pettis, 23, 1427 Vincennes St., Crete, was arrested on September 17 and charged with domestic battery, criminal damage to property, and in connection with an arrest warrant out of Park Forest, when police were dispatched to the 200 block of Miami Street to investigate a report of a disturbance.

Upon arrival, officers observed a woman, later identified as Khadejah Pettis, allegedly throwing objects from inside the home, causing a disturbance, according to police. When an officer approached her, she turned her back and stated, “Just arrest me,” according to the report.

The officer detained Ms. Pettis for investigative purposes and placed her in the rear of a squad vehicle.

Police then saw a man with a small cut on the right side of his four head and a 2018 silver Jeep Cherokee with extensive damage to the front windshield. The vehicle was parked in the street in front of the residence to which officers were called. Police also observed numerous items scattered across the front yard. Inside the residence, police observed that the front room was in shambles and a glass end table was broken. There were various items thrown across the floor.

According to the complainant, he and his ex-girlfriend, Ms. Pettis, had been arguing earlier in the day but he did not want to call police because he knew she had an arrest warrant. The argument continued and Ms. Pettis allegedly became violent and allegedly began to destroy his residence, his rental vehicle, and allegedly hit him repeatedly, according to the report.

The complainant said that when Ms. Pettis allegedly began to destroy his residence, he didn’t want to go to jail for defending himself so he called police for assistance, according to the report.

As he was on the phone with 911, Ms. Pettis allegedly threw a picture frame at him which struck him in the head, causing him to bleed.

Police provided the complainant with an Illinois Domestic Violence Victim Information pamphlet and advised him how to obtain an order of protection. Ms. Pettis was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage to property, domestic battery, and in connection with the original arrest warrant. She was transported to the Park Forest Police Department and then to Markham Courthouse for a bond hearing, according to the report.

What is the Illinois Stalking No Contact Order Act?

The statute begins here at 740 ILCS 21/1.

The act begins by defining stalking:

Stalking generally refers to a course of conduct, not a single act. Stalking behavior includes following a person, conducting surveillance of the person, appearing at the person’s home, work or school, making unwanted phone calls, sending unwanted emails, unwanted messages via social media, or text messages, leaving objects for the person, vandalizing the person’s property, or injuring a pet. Stalking is a serious crime. Victims experience fear for their safety, fear for the safety of others and suffer emotional distress. Many victims alter their daily routines to avoid the persons who are stalking them. Some victims are in such fear that they relocate to another city, town or state. While estimates suggest that 70% of victims know the individuals stalking them, only 30% of victims have dated or been in intimate relationships with their stalkers. All stalking victims should be able to seek a civil remedy requiring the offenders stay away from the victims and third parties.

(Source: P.A. 100-1000, eff. 1-1-19.)

Numerous definitions follow. “Course of conduct,” for example, means two or more acts, according to the statute. “Emotional distress” means “significant mental suffering, anxiety, or alarm.”

What happens in the event of an alleged violation of the act? According to the statute, “An initial knowing violation of a stalking no contact order is a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent knowing violation is a Class 4 felony.”