Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)— Editor’s Note: We continue our reporting on news from police reports. Besides covering the many stories from around Park Forest that otherwise might go unnoticed, we want to bring more complete coverage of police reports than is reported by other local media.
We are reporting this information because the public in the United States has the right to know, unlike any other nation in the world. 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. 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 acknowledgement by the public.
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.
Burglary Report
There was one burglary reported between February 27 and March 6, 2018. On March 3 at approximately 8:53 AM, police responded to the first block of Arbor Trail to investigate a residential burglary. On that date at approximately 6:40 AM, the complainant left with his children to pick his wife up from work. He was sure that he had locked the front door deadbolt, but not sure if the rear glass sliding door was locked. When the family arrived home at approximately 8:19 AM, the children noticed that one of their T-Mobile Alcatel tablets was missing. The tablet is valued at $144. There was also a dual-sided handheld mirror missing, value approximately $20. Police gathered evidence and are investigating.
Endangering The Life or Health of a Child
A child was playing on Western Avenue near CVS Pharmacy.
Police were dispatched on February 28 at 2:38 PM to 1 Main Street, CVS Pharmacy, to check the well-being of two young girls. Upon arrival, police spoke with the complainant who related that she observed the children playing on Western Avenue near CVS. She brought the children inside the store to wait for police to arrive.
An officer spoke with the children who were later determined to be 3 and type 4 years old, respectively. The officer observed that the children were frightened and covered in wet mud. The officer was unable to gather any pertinent information from the girls.
Police searched the area of the G courts and F courts but were unable to locate any parents. Another officer checked nearby stores and parks, but was not successful locating the children’s parents. 1/3 officer transported the children to the Park Forest Police Department for protective custody at approximately 3 PM.
An officer spoke with a DCFS representative who related that DCFS would be sending someone out to take the children.
While officers were waiting for DCFS, Sharice T. Newman, 31, 138 Indianwood Blvd., Park Forest, arrived at the police station at approximately 4 PM inquiring about her children who were missing. An officer told her that both children were safe and in protective custody.
Ms. Newman told police that she makes the children take a nap with her daily. She stated that she was tired and fell asleep and believes the children never fell asleep. She said that the girls wanted to play outside earlier in the day but she wouldn’t let them since it was raining. She woke up at approximately 3 PM and discovered that the children were not there. She then started going door to door asking neighbors if they had seen the children. She made her way to CVS and an employee told her that police had taken two small children to the station.
Ms. Newman was arrested on February 28 and charged with two counts of endangering the life or health of a child. After a representative from DCFS interviewed Ms. Newman, the children were released into her care. The DCFS representative stated that she would be following up with Ms. Newman the next day at her residence, according to police. Ms. Newman was released on an I-Bondand was provided a ride to her residence with her children.
Driving While License Was Revoked
Lee T. Twyman III, 30, 411 Sherman St., Park Forest, was arrested on March 1 and charged with driving while license was revoked and speeding when officers responded to the area of Wayne Street and Wayne Court to investigate a report of a suspicious vehicle playing loud music.
While officers were on their way, they observed a vehicle leaving Wayne Court on two Wayne Street, then traveling south on Wildwood Street. According to police, the vehicle was traveling 40 miles per hour and a 30 miles per hour zone. Police curbed the vehicle near the intersection of Wilshire Street and Central Park Avenue. The driver identified himself as Lee T. Twyman, according to police. A passenger in the vehicle was not charged. Police gave her a ride to her residence in Richton Park.
Mr. Twyman was also issued a municipal citation charging possession of cannabis, less than 10 grams. The vehicle Mr. Twyman was driving was towed and impounded.
Outstanding Warrant
Kimberly Y. Allen, 34, 320 Royal Oak St., Steger, was arrested on March 1 and charged with driving while driver’s license was suspended and processed on an outstanding warrant out of Will County. Allen was also wanted by the Park Forest Police Department on a charge of criminal damage to property. Police were dispatched to the 200 block of Juniper Street at 4:25 AM when a collar reported hearing a loud boom outside her residence and later observed a female subject, Kimberly Y. Allen, in front of her residence, who she had an order of protection against. Upon checking the area, police located Ms. Allen in a vehicle near 26th Street and Western Street.
Battery
Keith A. Archie, 34, 1024 E. 156th Pl., Dolton, was arrested on March 1 and charged with two counts of battery and one count of criminal damage to property when police were dispatched to the first block of Elm Street regarding a report of a fight in a parking lot involving several subjects.
Resisting
Lannell Willingham, 16935 Page Ave., Hazel Crest, was arrested on March 3 and charged with resisting a peace officer and possession of a controlled substance. Police were patrolling in the area of 26th Street and Allegheny Street when they turned onto Allegheny Street to assist another officer on a traffic stop. One of these officers recognized the driver of the vehicle that was pulled over, Lanell Willingham, as being currently wanted by the Park Forest Police Department on a charge of battery.
Police asked Mr. Mr. Willingham to exit his vehicle, but he allegedly refused, according to police. Police asked again and warned him that officers would break his car window to gain entrance into the vehicle and that he would be charged, according to police. Willingham still refused, according to police.
Police then used a window punch to break the front passenger side window and subsequently took the keys out of the ignition.
Officers instructed Mr. Willingham to exit the vehicle. He complied this time and police placed him in handcuffs. At the Park Forest Police Department, police searched Mr. Willingham and found a small clear plastic Ziploc style bag containing two small pink hills. That substance field-tested positive for the presumptive presence of methamphetamine, according to police.
Police also recovered $6670.10 from Willingham’s person. The currency was in approximately seven bundles, mostly in denominations of $20, $10, and five dollar bills, according to police.
Speeding
Justin M. Sanders, 21, 237 Farragut St., Park Forest, was driving a vehicle traveling northbound on Western Avenue from Indianwood Boulevard at a high rate of speed on March 4, according to police. Sanders allegedly was traveling at 53 miles per hour in a posted 35 miles per hour zone, according to police. Police curbed the vehicle he was driving at the intersection of Western Avenue and Algonquin Street. Mr. Sanders was issued citation’s charging speeding. A 19-year-old passenger in the vehicle was issued a municipal citation charging possession of cannabis. Sanders’s vehicle was towed from the scene and an administrative seizure was placed on the vehicle.
DUI
Jacqueline L. Johnson-Murphy, 49, 76 Indianwood Blvd, Park Forest, was arrested on March 6 and charged with driving while license was expired, driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a BAC over .08, and improper lane use.
An officer traveling southbound on Western Avenue was in the left lane behind a vehicle that merged without signaling into a left turn lane near the Oaks of Forest Hills apartment complex and then, without signaling, move back into the left lane of southbound Western Avenue, according to police. The vehicle then drifted toward the right side of the lane and then back to the middle, according to police.
This was at approximately 8:30 PM.
Later, at the Park Forest Police Department, shortly after 11:30 PM, Ms. Johnson-Murphy provided a breath sample which indicated a Breath Alcohol Content of .233, almost 3 times the legal limit of .08, according to police.
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