Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Five people were charged with DUIs a few months ago in one week. We reported previously on the first person charged that week. One officer was responsible for pulling over two of these drivers. These incidents happened on two successive days. The last incident of that week we expect to report early this week.
We have three of the five DUIs in this report. In two of the three we report on here, police said in their reports they discovered drivers sleeping in their cars with motors running. In the last DUI charge from that week, when the arresting officer asked for her insurance, one driver offered the officer a take-out menu.
Three of Five Reports of Drivers Charged with DUIs in One Week
DUI Charge: Driver Asleep at the Wheel
Derrick D. Johnson, 35, 6126 S. Artesian Ave., Chicago, was arrested on February 11 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and transportation or possessing alcoholic liquor in a vehicle.
On patrol at 3:38 AM, an officer saw a gray 2007 Nissan Quest parked and running in the 120 S. Orchard Drive parking lot. The headlights and taillights were not illuminated, but the vehicle was visibly running due to the exhaust smoke coming from the car, according to police.
The officer approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and saw an unresponsive man, later identified as Derek Johnson, seated in the driver’s seat. The officer also saw keys in the ignition and a clear plastic cup in the holder containing an unknown liquid.
Mr. Johnson was asleep, according to police.
The officer knocked on the window several times, but Mr. Johnson did not wake up, according to police. Instead, he nodded with his eyes closed, according to police. When Mr. Johnson woke up, the officer saw that his eyes were glossy and watery, and there was a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath, according to police.
The officer conducted Standard Field Sobriety Tests, took Mr. Johnson into custody, and transported him to the police station. Mr. Johnson refused a breathalyzer test, according to police.
DUI Charge: Driver Asleep at the Wheel
Marchello K. Donalson, 38, 1146 Country Ct., Crete, was arrested on February 12th and charged with felony armed habitual criminal, felony unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, driving under the influence of alcohol, improper parking on a roadway, illegal possession of alcohol, and processed on an Illinois Department Of Corrections parole warrant.
An officer was on patrol at 5:15 AM at Indiana Street and Homan Avenue. The officer saw a black Volvo running while facing eastbound on Homan Avenue. The Volvo was parked within 20 feet of the intersection’s crosswalk in violation of the Illinois vehicle code, according to police.
The officer parked and approached the vehicle and deployed a tire deflation device behind the rear passenger tire in case the vehicle attempted to flee, according to police.
Other Officers Arrive
Two other officers arrived on the scene and saw the man slumped over the steering wheel, according to police. Officers attempted to contact the driver, who was later identified as Marchello K. Donalson, according to police. The first officer knocked on the driver’s window and used the flashlight to see inside the car. That officer saw a handgun sticking out from Mr. Donalson’s left inside jacket pocket, according to police. The officer alerted the other officers on the scene of the firearm, according to police.
Police gave Mr. Donalson several commands to unlock the door and ordered him not to reach for the firearm, according to police. Mr. Donalson appeared to be disoriented but eventually managed to unlock the door, according to police. An officer immediately retrieved the firearm from Mr. Donalson’s jacket and saw that it was loaded with one live round in the chamber, according to police.
Mr. Donalson’s speech was slow and slurred when he talked, according to police. There was a “heavy odor of an alcoholic beverage” that was emanating from his breath, according to police. Police also noted in the report that Mr. Donalson’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot, according to police.
Police conducted a Standardized Field Sobriety Test. Afterward, police took Mr. Donalson into custody. Mr. Donalson refused to submit to a breathalyzer, according to police.
Mr. Donalson’s booking photo was not available, according to police.
DUI Charge: Driver Allegedly Sped on Western
Lori James, 56, 254 Blackhawk Dr., Park Forest, was arrested on February 12 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, illegally transporting alcohol, and speeding.
On patrol at 8:26 PM, an officer saw a black Hyundai Santa Fe traveling northbound on Western Avenue from Chestnut Street. The officer was behind the vehicle in the outside lane. The Hyundai was driving in the center of the outside lane and abruptly moved over to the right-hand curb side of the lane, according to police. The vehicle then began traveling in this part of the lane.
The car turned eastbound on 26th Street from Western Avenue. The officer paced the vehicle and saw that it was traveling 51 mph in the 40-mile-per-hour zone, according to police.
The pursuing officer conducted a traffic stop on the car at 26th Street and the east intersection with Allegheny Street, according to police. The officer spoke with the driver, later identified as Lori James. Ms. James had glassy eyes, and her breath smelled of alcohol, according to police. Ms. James did not have her driver’s license but gave the officer the number on her license.
Driver Offers the Officer a Takeout Menu
The officer asked for proof of insurance. At this point, Ms. James handed the officer a takeout menu, according to police.
The officer conducted field sobriety tests and then took Ms. James into custody. She refused a breathalyzer test at the Park Forest Police Department, according to police.
Violation of a Bail Bond
Brandon R. Lashley, 23, 1938 Cambridge St., Chicago Heights, was arrested on a charge of violation of a bail bond when an officer responded to an address on South Western Avenue to investigate a report of an unwanted subject, according to police.
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.
