Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- There are still more reports from the two weeks of June 6 through June 19. Part II includes two incidents where police charged two with DUIs. Three incidents kept officers busy over the few days covered here. Additionally, police arrested one man on a charge count of domestic battery.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through June 19, 2023 — Part II
First of Three Incidents: DUI
In the first of two incidents involving alleged DUIs, police arrested Lourenia A. Fleming, 38, 4411 Gatling Blvd., Country Club Hills, on June 10 and issued traffic citations charging driving in the wrong lane, improper lane usage, driving under the influence of alcohol, and DUI with a BrAC greater than .08. Ms. Fleming was also charged with one count of felony unlawful use of a weapon (Class A).
Police: Officer Stops to Avoid Head-on Collision with a Car
An officer driving westbound on Main Street from Western Avenue saw a blue Chevrolet sedan driving eastbound on Main Street in the westbound lane toward the officer’s vehicle. The officer stopped on Main Street to keep from striking the Chevrolet. As the Chevy approached, it maneuvered back into the eastbound lane and passed the officer’s patrol vehicle.
The officer conducted a U-turn and started to follow the Chevrolet eastbound. When he caught up with the car, he saw that it was a Chevy Malibu.
When the Main Street and Western Avenue lights turned green, the Malibu turned northbound on Western Avenue. As it did so, it allegedly turned into the center striped median, according to police. The Chevy then maneuvered into the left northbound lane on Western Avenue, according to police.
Officer Curbs the Car
The officer activated the emergency lighting on his patrol vehicle and curbed the Chevy on Western Avenue near Fir Street. After approaching the car, the officer spoke with the driver and sole occupant, Lourenia A. Fleming. He told her the reason for the stop and asked for her driver’s license and insurance.
Ms. Fleming apologized for her driving, according to police. The officer asked where she was coming from, and she said, “The main spot, the K spot,” according to police. The K Spot is “popular on Main Street in Park Forest,” according to police.
According to the report, the officer asked when she had her last drink, and Ms. Fleming said it was around midnight.
Driver Produces License
Ms. Fleming gave the officer her driver’s license and appeared to have trouble finding the insurance, according to police. Ms. Fleming then told the officer that her mother had the insurance, according to police. The officer asked if she and her mother both owned the vehicle. Ms. Fleming said, “I don’t have the paperwork. It’s on my insurance,” according to police. Ms. Fleming then clarified that it was on her email, according to police.
The officer asked how many drinks she had that night, and Ms. Fleming allegedly responded, “Probably about two,” according to the report.
Ms. Fleming found her proof of insurance in her email and gave it to the officer.
While the officer inspected her insurance, Ms. Fleming allegedly said, “I might of had a little bit too many drinks tonight. I’m not goin’ tell you no lie,” according to the report.
Ms. Fleming then began to apologize repeatedly, allegedly saying that she had too many drinks and that her mother would be upset with her, according to police.
Police: Driver Asks That Officers “Take her in”
According to the report, she asked that officers “take her in” to sober her up. The officer noted that Ms. Fleming had bloodshot, glassy eyes.
Another officer arrived on the scene to assist. Police determined that Ms. Fleming had a valid driver’s license. The officer asked Ms. Fleming to perform field sobriety tests. She complied. After the tests, the officer told Ms. Fleming he was arresting her on suspicion of driving under the influence.
At the Park Forest Police Department, Ms. Fleming submitted to a breathalyzer test, which yielded a BrAC of .182, more than twice the legal limit, according to the report.
Second of Three Incidents: Domestic Battery
Police arrested David L. Slaughter, 36, 335 Somonauk Dr., Park Forest, on June 10 and charged him with three counts of domestic battery, one count of endangering the health and safety of a child, and one count of resisting/obstructing a peace officer.
Police responded to a home on Somonauk Street to investigate a disturbance report at 9:22 PM. When they arrived, they found the caller in front of the house. She told police that she and David Slaughter have been together for several years and have three children.
Resident Allegedly Punches Child
On this date, she drove with one of her children to the home on Somonauk Street to pick up her six-year-old son. When she arrived, Mr. Slaughter exited the house and entered her car in the front passenger seat. He then allegedly grabbed a cup of water from the center console and threw it at her, soaking her in water, according to police.
Mr. Slaughter then reportedly tried to punch her, according to the report. He missed hitting her but allegedly struck the child who was in the car with her, according to police.
The woman got out of the vehicle. Mr. Slaughter then allegedly dragged her by her shirt across the front lawn, according to police.
The officer noted dirt and grass along the back of her pants and minor scratches to her back, according to police.
According to the report, she told an officer that she wished to pursue criminal complaints against Mr. Slaughter.
Resident Allegedly Resists
One of the officers then spoke with Mr. Slaughter, who said that he lives at that residence on Somonauk, according to police. He said he and the woman had been together for approximately 20 years. The officer then tried to ask him what happened before the police arrived. However, Mr. Slaughter allegedly walked away from the officer towards the woman and their children, according to police.
As he did so, he reportedly aggressively yelled at them, according to the report.
An officer then restrained Mr. Slaughter from getting closer to them. Mr. Slaughter, however, continued to approach and yell, according to police.
Since Mr. Slaughter allegedly failed to obey orders and stay back, police attempted to detain him in handcuffs for safety, according to the report.
One officer told Mr. Slaughter to put his hands behind his back. As he did so, the officer grabbed his right arm. According to the report, Mr. Slaughter allegedly resisted and “attempted to defeat” the officer’s grasp by pulling forward.
Officer Draws Taser
The officer unholstered his Taser and pressed it up against Mr. Slaughter’s right shoulder while giving warnings that he would tase Mr. Slaughter, according to Police. Mr. Slaughter allegedly continued to pull forward, but another officer put Mr. Slaughter’s hands into the handcuffs “with some resistance,” according to the report. Police then read Mr. Slaughter his Miranda Rights, according to the report.
Third of Three Incidents: DUI
In the second incident involving alleged DUIs, police arrested Kelshancye D. Jiles, 23, 14026 School St. #1D, Riverdale, on June 11 and charged her with failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash, driving under the influence of alcohol, BAC greater than .08, driving an uninsured motor vehicle, and three counts of endangering the life and health of a child.
Police responded to the Sauk Trail and Indianwood Boulevard area to investigate a single-vehicle accident at 12:30 AM. When they arrived, an officer saw an electronic traffic signal on the pavement at the intersection of Sauk Trail and Indianwood Boulevard. There was a black 2020 Toyota Corolla with airbag deployment and front-end damage. The Corolla was out of the roadway at the southeast corner of Sauk Trail and Indianwood Boulevard.
Officer Speaks with Driver
An officer spoke with Kelshancye D. Jiles, who said she was the driver. According to the report, Ms. Jiles was standing near some others who she said were her siblings. Ms. Jiles had bloodshot and glassy eyes and an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person, according to the report.
According to the report, Ms. Jiles allegedly told the officer she was driving too fast and hit a pole. She said she was “trying to get the light at the green,” according to the report.
Police: Driver Repeatedly Says She Was Going “Straight”
The officer asked her which direction she was driving. According to the report, she allegedly said “straight” while pointing north. The officer asked if she was coming from south of their current location while pointing towards Marquette Street, and she replied, “Yes,” according to the report.
The officer then asked Ms. Jiles which traffic light she struck while driving. She allegedly replied, “Just straight. I was really going straight,” according to the report.
After repeating the question two more times and informing her there was a traffic signal lying on the pavement in the middle of the intersection, Ms. Jiles replied, “I was going north. I was going straight,” according to police.
The officer asked her the same question a fourth time. Ms. Jiles allegedly replied, “Straight. I’m telling you I was going straight,” according to the report.
The officer asked her again which traffic signal she struck, not which way she was driving. Ms. Jiles allegedly replied again, “Straight.”
Driver Allegedly Says She Can’t Remember How She Struck the Traffic Signal
According to the report, Ms. Jiles told the officer she could not remember how she struck the traffic signal if she was traveling north on Indianwood Boulevard. According to the report, she allegedly told the officer she had one cup of “Teleport,” which she called a “strong wine.”
The officer asked Ms. Jiles to submit to standardized Field sobriety tests. After the tests, the officer arrested Ms. Jiles on suspicion of DUI. At the Park Forest Police Department, she submitted a breath sample that yielded a BrAC of .178, according to the report.
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.
