Law and Order, Local Police Reports, Park Forest

PFPD: Seatbelt Violation Leads to Arrest on Warrant – Reports Through June 23, 2020


Detective J.P. Garrity, 2019 Officer of the Year
Detective JP Garrity was voted as the 2019 Officer of the Year. Detective Garrity was chosen by his peers in part because of his excellent investigative work, his commitment as an assistant team leader with the South Suburban Emergency Response Team (a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team), and his passion for participating in multiple charities, police said in a statement. (Photo: PFPD)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- These police reports include arrests through June 23, 2020. Charges include resisting, theft, and one incident where an alleged seatbelt violation led to an arrest on an out-of-state warrant.

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 June 23, 2020

Resisting

Karyntia T. Little, 27, 14952 Whipple St., Blue Island, was arrested on June 17 and charged with resisting a peace officer after police responded to the first block of Norwood Street at 1:19 AM to investigate a report of an unwanted subject.

The complainant told police that she observed somebody sitting on the back porch of a home in the first block of Norwood Street where her boyfriend lives. When police arrived, they saw Karyntia Little sitting on the back porch of the home, according to police. An officer asked Ms. Little if she lives there to which she allegedly replied, “No, but my boyfriend does,” according to the report.

While police were speaking with Ms. Little, the resident exited his home to speak with officers leaving his back door ajar. At that point, Ms. Little immediately got up and allegedly ran inside the residence with the resident chasing behind her, according to police. Officers followed behind both of them and advised them to stop running, according to police.

One officer observed Ms. Little attempting to go upstairs and the resident holding her by her legs preventing her from going up any additional steps, according to police. Ms. Little was allegedly screaming, “You’re cheating on me. I know there is a woman in this house,” according to the report.

Responding officers requested that additional units respond to the scene.

Police told the resident to release Ms. Little several times and he finally released his grip. Ms. Little proceeded up the remaining stairs attempting to enter a bedroom, according to police. Officers were able to grab Ms. Little and she immediately sat on the floor, according to police.

Officers told Ms. Little to put her hands behind her back several times, however, she allegedly screamed, “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me! I know there is a woman in the bedroom,” according to the report.

Officers continue to tell Ms. Little to put her hands behind her back, however, she allegedly refused, according to police. Officers then forced Ms. Little onto her stomach and physically placed her hands behind her back where she was handcuffed, according to police.

Other officers arrived on the scene.

The resident told them that he and Ms. Little have been in a dating relationship for the last five years. They had spoken to each other that night around 11 PM when Ms. Little called to tell the resident she was going to bed, according to police. At around 1 AM, Ms. Little called the resident but he did not answer, according to police. A short time later he heard a knock on his back door and learned that Ms. Little was outside his home at which point he called for police to have her removed, according to police.

A responding officer asked the resident if he wished to sign criminal complaints against Ms. Little and he replied that he did not, according to police.

Ms. Little was processed on one count of resisting a peace officer and provided a court date of July 13, 2020, at the Markham Courthouse, according to police.

Failure to Wear a Seat Belt – Warrant Out of Wisconsin

Sylvester T. Phillips, 21, 1269 Cherry St., Green Bay, WI, was arrested on June 17 and issued a citation charging failure to wear a seatbelt. Mr. Phillips was also processed on an out-of-state warrant from Wisconsin on a parole violation charge, according to police.

Officers were in the area of Lakewood Boulevard and Winsdor Drive at 4:08 PM performing a Seatbelt Enforcement Detail when they came across a 2001 Chevy Impala with Wisconsin registration. A detective noted that a front seat passenger appeared to not be wearing a seatbelt, according to police.

When the vehicle stopped at the light at Lakewood Boulevard and Sauk Trail, the detective pulled up next to the Impala and confirmed that the passenger was not wearing a seatbelt. The detective also noted that the windshield was cracked. He got behind the vehicle, activated his emergency lights, and initiated a traffic stop, curbing the vehicle on Ridgeway Avenue just north of Sauk Trail in Richton Park.

Officers approached the vehicle and apprised the driver the reason for the stop. The driver provided her Wisconsin driver’s license which was valid. Another officer met with the passenger, Sylvester T. Phillips, conducted a law enforcement inquiry of Mr. Phillips and learned of the out-of-state warrant.

Once the warrant was verified, police took Mr. Phillips into custody and transported him to the Park Forest Police Department.

The driver was released from the scene with a verbal warning. Mr. Phillips was assigned a court date of August 6, 2020, at the Markham Courthouse and remained in a holding cell at the PFPD pending transport to the Cook County Courthouse pending extradition proceedings, according to police.

Theft

Robin W. Duvall, 63, 5600 41st Ave., Gary, IN, was arrested on June 18 and charged with theft after police responded to a report of a stolen basketball hoop in the first block of Sauk Trail at 2:59 PM.

When police arrived, they spoke with a juvenile who related that his parents were following the vehicle that allegedly stole the basketball hoop from the front porch, according to police.

SouthCom Dispatch advised shortly after that the South Chicago Heights Police Department had pulled the vehicle over near Cottage Grove Road and Lincoln Highway in Chicago Heights.

Possession of Fireworks

Victor L. Stewart, 54, 116 Hay St., Park Forest, was arrested on June 19 and issued a municipal citation charging possession of fireworks after police responded to the area of Lester Road and Indianwood Boulevard to investigate a fireworks complaint.

Keith L. Fleming, 27, 9411 S. Prairie Ave., Chicago, was arrested and charged with obstructing a peace officer and obstructing identification.

A responding officer observed fireworks being discharged in front of a residence in the first block of Hemlock Street, according to police.

The officer observed a large bag and box filled with fireworks on the porch. The officer advised those there that the fireworks were illegal and would be confiscated, according to police. As the officer grabbed a box of fireworks, a man, later identified as Keith L. Fleming, allegedly grabbed the box and pulled it away from the officer, according to police.

At this, several other subjects on the porch started taking fireworks from the porch, attempting to conceal them from the officer, according to police.

Several subjects allegedly started to yell and scream at the officer and surround him, according to police.

The officer attempted to de-escalate the emotions of all the subjects on the porch area.

A woman took the box of fireworks in the two the residence, shut the door behind her, preventing the officer from stopping her, according to police.

Other officers arrived on the scene to assist. While waiting for officers to respond, the first officer to respond asked Mr. Fleming for his identification. Mr. Fleming allegedly responded, “Oh hell no,” and shook his head no, according to police. The officer asked Mr. Fleming twice more for his identification after advising him that he was obstructing identification. Mr. Fleming allegedly again said no, according to police.

The officer advised Mr. Fleming that he was under arrest and advised him to put his hands behind his back, according to police. Mr. Fleming complied, according to police.

While placing Mr. Fleming under arrest, Mr. Fleming asked the officer if he was going to take his firearm, according to police. The officer found a tan and black pistol and a black leather holster on Mr. Fleming’s right hip, according to police.

Mr. Fleming was later placed in a squad car and transported to the Park Forest Police Department pending investigation. The first responding officer later learned that Mr. Fleming had a valid FOID card and a concealed carry license. The firearm, clear through LEADS, was turned over to another officer for safekeeping until Mr. Fleming was released, according to police.

While and the first officer on the scene was speaking with Mr. Fleming, the officer advised another man, later identified as Victor Stewart, to stop taking fireworks and putting them inside the residence. Mr. Steward allegedly refused and continued to conceal the fireworks, according to the report. When another officer arrived, the first officer at the scene advised the arriving officer to arrest Mr. Stewart, according to the police.

Mr. Fleming was charged with obstructing a peace officer and obstructing identification, according to the report. He had a court date on July 13 at the Markham Courthouse, according to the report.

Criminal Trespass to Real Property

Reginald M. Turnbo, 32, 11024 S. Normal Ave., Chicago, was arrested on June 22 and charged with criminal trespass to real property after an officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Waldmann Drive at 10:24 AM in reference to a report of an unwanted subject/trespasser, according to the report.

The responding officer discovered Reginald M. Turnbo standing in the driveway of the complainant’s home, according to police. That same officer had previously responded to that residence at 5:59 AM regarding the same matter and warned Mr. Turnbo June not to return to that residence or he would be arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass as the resident did not want him there, according to police.

At that time, Mr. Turnbo acknowledged that he understood and was provided transportation to the Richton Park Metro station, according to police. Prior to transport at that time, the officer conducted a protective patdown of Mr. Turnbo which yielded negative results, according to police.


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