Law and Order, Local Police Reports, Park Forest

Park Forest Police Reports Through May 5, 2020


Freedom Hall near capacity for Police Honors Ceremony
Freedom Hall was near capacity at the Police Honors Ceremony held on Saturday, February 8, 2020. (Photo: Gary Kopycinski)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- These police reports include arrests from April 28 through May 5, 2020. There were two incidents during this week and both involved charges of domestic battery.

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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.

Domestic Battery

Darren M. Miles Jr., 26, 507 Glenn Ave., Romeoville, was arrested on April 30 and charged with domestic battery in an incident that began when an officer was assisting other officers in the 23400 block of Western Avenue with a vehicle accident.

That officer was standing in the parking lot with four individuals, one of whom was Darren M. Miles Jr. Mr. Miles and another man began arguing, according to police. Mr. Miles allegedly accused the other man of being disrespectful about the vehicle being totaled in the accident, according to police.

The two appeared to be getting ready to fight, according to police.

The officer told the two men to stop yelling and arguing that they allegedly got closer to each other to fight, according to police.

A woman then stood in front of Mr. Miles in an attempt to block him from fighting with the other man, placing her hands near his face as if to get him to listen to her, saying that he should stop and not get in trouble, according to police. Mr. Miles then allegedly grabbed the woman by her arms and pushed her backward in a seeming attempt to stop her from blocking him and the other man from fighting, according to police. Mr. Miles allegedly caused the woman to stumble backward a few feet when he pushed her, according to police.

Mr. Miles then allegedly pushed her two more times in an attempt to get her out of his way so he could fight the man, according to the report.

Mr. Miles then started removing his shirt, according to police.

The officer separated Mr. Miles and the other man, keeping them from getting closer to each other, according to police.

Two officers then placed Mr. Miles under arrest on suspicion of domestic battery, according to police. The woman repeatedly stated that she did not want Mr. Miles arrested and did not want to sign complaints against him, according to police. The woman stated that she was not injured and did not need an ambulance, according to police.

Police later processed Mr. Miles on a charge of domestic battery and placed him in a holding cell pending transfer to the Will County Courthouse in Joliet for a bond hearing, according to police.

Domestic Battery

Ken W. Casper, 33, 427 Neosho St., Park Forest, was arrested on April 30 and charged with domestic battery after police responded to the 400 block of Neosho Street regarding a report of domestic battery. SouthCom Dispatch advised responding officers that a caller reported that a 33-year-old man was “out of control” and allegedly pushed another man over a coffee table, causing the table to break, according to the report.

When officers arrived, a man identified as Ken W. Casper was in front of the residence. Mr. Casper appeared to be upset and “the odor of alcohol was noted emanating from his breath,” according to the report. Mr. Casper allegedly told police that he got into an argument inside the house and allegedly admitted to putting his hands on a man, that they “pushed up to one another” with arms extended, according to the report.

When asked if anyone fell, Casper said that he did not know, according to police. Mr. Casper related that the man might have fallen and that he “nudged” the other man, according to police.

Mr. Casper appeared to be “highly under the influence of alcohol as he had trouble continuing a conversation and often trailed off his statements repeatedly stating that he paid rent at the residence,” according to the report.

An officer entered the residence and spoke with a man who related that Mr. Casper allegedly pushed him onto a coffee table in the living room, causing him to fall and break the coffee table, according to police. That man also had a cut on his left thumb from the broken glass, according to police.

The man said he believed pursuing criminal complaints against Mr. Casper was the best option and he wished to do so, according to police.


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