Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- These police reports include arrests through August 18, 2020. Yes, these reports happened several weeks ago. I apologize for the tardiness, but, as we catch up on ENEWSPF, please understand that all of my free time has been dominated by education — in effect, learning to teach all over again during a pandemic. Having adjusted a lot since the beginning of the school year, I’m taking another journey to eNews Park Forest. These reports showed the rare occurrence of two DUIs in one week in Park Forest, both to different people. In keeping with our policy, we share booking photos of all arrested and charged with a DUI.
Please note that we repeatedly say “according to police” in these reports and often use the word “allegedly.” We are not asserting in any way that those arrested and/or charged have committed any offenses. We report on what is in the media reports furnished by police. As those charged are innocent until proven guilty, the burden is on prosecutors and police to prove all alleged crimes.
Providing more details than readers will find in any other police beat reports, we invite readers to subscribe to get the whole story, every day.
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.
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 end up with 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.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through August 18, 2020
Solicitation without a Permit
Guillermo Reyes, 21, 1820 Gregory Ave., Glendale Heights, was issued a municipal citation on August 12 charging solicitation without a permit after police were contacted by Village Manager Thomas Mick after he was contacted by a resident who reported that a solicitor was attempting to sell bottled water, according to police.
The solicitor, later identified as Mr. Reyes, was allegedly telling people that water in the Village of Park Forest had high levels of contaminants such as mercury and lead, according to police.
Felony Aggravated DUI
Deshawn M. Duncan, 25, 415 S. Orchard Dr., Park Forest, was arrested on August 14 and charged with felony aggravated DUI after police were dispatched to the area of Tampa Street at 4:22 AM to investigate a report of a vehicle that struck another vehicle. Mr. Duncan was also charged with driving while license was suspended and operation of an uninsured motor vehicle.
When police arrived, they saw damage to the front and rear bumper of a car. A man was in the driver’s seat, later identified as Deshawn Duncan, and he appeared to be asleep, according to police. When police arrived, an officer opened the driver’s side door and saw that the vehicle’s key was still in the ignition.
Mr. Duncan opened his eyes and, after an officer asked if he was hurt, he allegedly said, “Good, I’m chill,” according to police. An officer asked Mr. Duncan to exit the vehicle. When he did so, he used his left hand to balance himself on the vehicle and had trouble maintaining his balance, according to the report.
An officer asked him if he had anything to drink and Mr. Duncan allegedly replied, “I had a couple of drinks, about to,” according to the report. Mr. Duncan told police that he did not know how grass got into the muffler of his vehicle, according to police.
DUI
Lawrence D. Booker, 61, 182 Carriage Lane, Sauk Village, was arrested on August 15 and charged with driving under the influence after police were dispatched to investigate a report of a disabled vehicle on Route 30 and Orchard Drive at 11:30 PM.
The responding officer was met by a Cook County Sheriff’s officer who advised that the vehicle driven by Lawrence Booker had struck an unknown object in the street near the viaduct but Mr. Booker did not know exactly what he hit, according to police.
Police observed a yellow paint on Mr. Booker’s vehicle. Police suspected that Mr. Booker was under the influence of alcohol, according to the report.
At the Park Forest Police Department officers determined that Mr. Booker had a blood alcohol concentration of .136, approximately 1.5 times greater than the legal limit in the state of Illinois, according to police.
