Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Editor’s Note: This coverage represents reports from July 31 through August 8, 2018. Charges filed include two felonies filed against two different people.
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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 entail 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.
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.
Active Arrest Warrant
Donel S. Embery, 43, 895 W. Park Dr., Kankakee, was arrested on August 1 and charged with resisting a peace officer and processed on an active arrest warrant out of Newton County, Indiana. Officers were dispatched to the 300 block of Niagara Street at 4:01 PM in reference to a report of a domestic incident.
When police arrived, they learned that the call was the result of a verbal dispute. An officer ran Mr. Embery’s name through LEADS and learned of the arrest warrant out of Newton County, Indiana. The officer told Mr. Embery that he was under arrest.
Mr. Embery initially placed his hands behind his back, but as the officer attempted to take him into custody, Mr. Embery allegedly walked away “while clinching [sic] his fists and actively resisting arrest,” according to the report. Another officer attempted to handcuff Mr. Embery’s wrist, but Mr. Embery allegedly continued to pull away and turn around “to defeat the arrest,” according to police. That officer was able to gain control of Mr. Embery from behind, placing him on the floor, according to police.
DUI
Samantha A. Klingen, 27, 3300 Lawrence Ave., South Chicago Heights, was arrested on August 3 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol with a breath concentration more than 0.08, driving while under the influence of alcohol, and improper lane usage.
According to police, Ms. Klingen consented to a breathalyzer test which indicated that she had a breath alcohol content of .257, more than three times the legal limit.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Sauk Trail for a report of a vehicle accident. A white Jeep Cherokee was parked in the westbound lanes of Sauk Trail while facing eastbound, according to police. The Jeep had passenger side damage and its front passenger side wheel was missing, according to police.
The Jeep was unoccupied. The front airbags had deployed on both sides.
The officer located the driver of the Jeep, Samantha A. Klingen, standing on the sidewalk. Ms. Klingen told the officer that she was traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail when a vehicle came at her and made her swerve. The other vehicle was traveling westbound in the passing lane.
She did not see the vehicle that made her swerve, according to the report.
The officer noticed that Ms. Klingen and was staggering while standing, had glassy eyes, slurred speech, and an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her, according to police. The officer reportedly told Ms. Klingen that it was very obvious to him that she was intoxicated. Ms. Klingen allegedly responded, “You’re correct, you’re correct,” according to police.
The officer asked Ms. Klingen to perform a Standard Field Sobriety Test. Ms. Klingen allegedly responded by saying, “I’ll be honest, I was not okay to drive,” according to the report.
Violation of an Order of Protection
Christopher T. Cosgrove, 40, 142 Marquette St., Park Forest, was arrested on August 3 and charged with violation of an order of protection and criminal damage to property after police were dispatched to the 100 block of Marquette Street to investigate a report of criminal damage to property.
The officers met with the complainant who told them that she was sitting on the couch watching television when the living room window shattered by what she thought was a firecracker. She looked out the living room window and saw a man that she knows as Christopher T. Cosgrove walking away from the front lawn of her house to the rear of another residence on the other side of the street.
The complainant told police that she wanted to pursue charges against Mr. Cosgrove and that she has a “No Contact Order of Protection” against him, according to the report.
Police observed the north side of the living room window and saw that it was shattered with glass mostly on the inside of the residence. One officer noticed a rock on the kitchen floor with glass shards around it. Police went to 142 Marquette Street and knocked on the door. Mr. Cosgrove exited the residence and officers asked him what happened. Mr. Cosgrove denied being at the other residence.
Police handcuffed Mr. Cosgrove and placed him in the
Battery, Resisting
Lionel J. Jones, 30, 187 Shabbona Dr., Park Forest, was arrested on August 3 and charged with battery and resisting a peace officer when police were dispatched to the 300 block of Sauganash Street in reference to a report of a domestic disturbance.
Upon arrival, police observed two men standing very close to each other and arguing. Both men allegedly refused to separate and gave the appearance that they were about to fight, according to police.
Additional officers responded.
One officer attempted to physically separate the two men and Mr. Jones allegedly pushed the officer’s arm away. The officer advised Mr. Jones that he was under arrest. Mr. Jones allegedly refused to comply and continued to confront the other man.
The officer who Mr. Jones allegedly pushed away deployed a department-issued Taser and struck Mr. Jones in the back. Mr. Jones went to the ground where he was handcuffed, according to police. The other man with whom Mr. Jones had the alleged dispute was issued a municipal ticket charging resisting a peace officer.
Mr. Jones was assigned a court date of August 29,
Domestic Battery
Cleotha Clayton, 33, 441 Suwanee St., Park Forest, was arrested on August 14 and charged with domestic battery when police responded to the 400 block of Suwannee Street at 1:26 AM to investigate a report of a domestic battery.
According to the report, Mr. Clayton had some friends over for a party, became intoxicated, and started arguing with a woman. Mr. Clayton allegedly became irate and allegedly threw the woman off the couch in the living room onto the floor. Mr. Clayton allegedly smashed her face into a hoverboard, according to the report.
An officer attempted to speak with Mr. Clayton who was “highly intoxicated and uncooperative,” according to the report. Mr. Clayton allegedly refused to say anything besides, “I didn’t hit her,” according to police. Mr. Clayton continued to yell at the alleged female victim and walked toward her.
He was arrested and transported to the Park Forest Police Department.
Domestic Battery, Resisting
Deborah M. Robinson, 25, 2106 217th St., Sauk Village, was arrested on August 4 and charged with one count of domestic battery and resisting a peace officer after police were dispatched to the 300 block of Juniper Street at 11:57 AM regarding a report of a domestic disturbance.
According to police, Ms. Robinson became angry with a relative and allegedly began to push and shove her several times. At some point during the altercation, Ms. Robinson got cut on some broken glass that was on a counter and the floor. Witnesses said that Ms. Robinson had allegedly come home intoxicated that morning. An officer observed droplets of blood on the living room floor and hallway of the residence, according to the report.
Two officers got blood on their uniforms.
Ms. Robinson was transported to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields with one officer accompanying her.
Possession of Cannabis: No Arrest
Driving While License Was Suspended, Loud Exhaust
Justin T. Slaughter, 26, 245 Farragut St., Park Forest, was arrested on August 5 and issued citations charging no front registration plate, loud exhaust, and driving while license was suspended. Mr. Slaughter was additionally charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance.
An officer in the area of Cedar Street and Western Avenue heard a vehicle that was traveling northbound on Western Avenue approaching Cedar Street that had a very loud noise coming from the exhaust. The officer also observed that the vehicle had no front-mounted registration, according to police.
The officer informed the driver, Mr. Slaughter, of the reason for the stop and Mr. Slaughter replied that he was aware of the loud exhaust and was working on getting it fixed. He also stated that the front registration had fallen off, according to the report.
The officer requested Mr. Slaughter’s driver’s license and proof of insurance. At this point, Mr. Slaughter told the officer that his Illinois driver’s license was currently suspended “for tickets,” according to the report.
While searching the vehicle, police located a brown plastic bottle containing a substance labeled “promethazine hydrochloride and codeine phosphate syrup” located in the glove compartment of the vehicle. Police also found a clear glass bottle of vodka in the back pocket of the front passenger seat.
Mr. Slaughter’s vehicle was towed from the scene.
First of Two Felonies: Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon
Andre D. Johnson, 29, 509 Circle Dr., University Park, was arrested on August 5 and charged with one count of felony unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, one count of driving under the influence, one count of illegal transportation of alcohol, one count of no valid driver’s license, one count of operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and one count of speeding.
Officers observed a vehicle traveling 56 miles per hour in a 40 miles per hour zone northbound on Western Avenue from Sycamore Drive, according to the report. An officer positioned her squad car behind the vehicle and activated the squad’s emergency lights, curbing the vehicle just north of Steger Road on Western Avenue.
The officer spoke with the driver, later identified as Andre D. Johnson, and requested his driver’s license and insurance card. Mr. Johnson told the officer that he had no driver’s license on him or any other form of identification and did not have insurance for the vehicle, according to the report.
The officer speaking with Mr. Johnson could smell a strong scent of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath and from inside the vehicle, according to police. She also observed that Mr. Johnson appeared to be displaying slurred speech and had bloodshot, glassy eyes. According to the report, Mr. Johnson appeared nervous. Officers present returned to the squad car and conducted a LEADS inquiry which indicated that Mr. Johnson’s driver’s license was expired.
Officers returned to the vehicle and requested that Mr. Johnson step out of the vehicle. Street Johnson complied. One of the officers conducted Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs). After the tests, officers placed Mr. Johnson in handcuffs without incident. Mr. Johnson was advised that he was under arrest under suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Police conducted an inventory of the inside of the vehicle and recovered an open bottle of Miller Genuine Draft from under the passenger seat. The glass bottle was still cold to the touch and visibly sweating from exposure to the warm air, according to police.
Police also recovered a loaded SCCY CPX-1 9mm handgun with a black slide finish and teal grip from under the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
The vehicle was towed per local ordinance. Mr. Johnson was transported to the Park Forest Police Department for further investigation.
Police later learned that the firearm had been stolen from South Bend, Indiana. The South Bend Police Department faxed over a copy of the departmental record to the Park Forest Police Department. Officers discovered that Mr. Johnson was listed as a suspect in South Bend’s case relating to the stolen firearm. Officers contacted the South Bend Police Department and advised them that Mr. Johnson would be at the Will County Correctional Facility.
A passenger who had been in the vehicle, Marshaun M. Brown, 28, 1621 Theodore St., Joliet, was issued a municipal citation charging illegal transportation of alcohol in a vehicle by a passenger. Mr. Brown was then released.
Resisting a Police Officer
Imara M. Coffie, 19, 15927 Leclaire Ave. #3A, Oak Forest, was arrested on August 5 and issued a municipal citation charging resisting a police officer after police responded to the 100 block of Indianwood Boulevard at 10:52 PM in reference to a report of a domestic disturbance.
When police arrived they discovered that two people had been arguing, Ms. Coffie and a man. The man decided that he did not want the argument to escalate so he went outside and contacted the Park Forest Police Department.
He told police that nothing physical occurred between the two.
An officer observed no physical injuries or discoloration to Ms. Coffie or the man and both refused medical assistance.
Ms. Coffie stated that she did not have a vehicle at the residence. An officer contacted her mother who advised that she would respond to the Park Forest Police Department to pick up her daughter. Ms. Coffie was advised that her mother was going to pick her up from the Police Department when she allegedly began walking toward the man, yelling at him for money, demanding $40 from him.
Officers gave Ms. Coffie several verbal commands to separate herself from the man but she allegedly did not listen, according to police.
The first responding officer placed herself in between Ms. Coffie and the man. The man was asked to go inside the house.
As he reached the door, Ms. Coffie allegedly stated, “Don’t laugh at me you m*****f****r.” Ms. Coffie ran at the officer who was still standing in front of her to get to the man. She was allegedly yelling, screaming, and attempting to push the officer out of the way to get to the man.
Ms. Coffie tripped and fell to the ground with the officer.
Ms. Coffie was subsequently put in handcuffs and placed in the rear of a squad car. The man adamantly refused to sign a complaint on an assault charge against Ms. Coffie. Ms. Coffie was then transported to the Park Forest Police Department and issued the municipal citation charging resisting a police officer.
Domestic Battery
David D. Getter, 30, 9701 Lowe Ave., Chicago, was arrested August 6 and charged with domestic battery, interfering with the reporting of domestic violence, and resisting/obstructing a peace officer when police were dispatched at approximately 1:03 PM to the 100 block of Indianwood Boulevard to investigate a report of domestic battery.
According to a complainant, Mr. Getter was recently given permission to live at a residence in the 100 block of Indianwood Boulevard after a relationship he was involved in ended. Someone returned to the house and attempted to use a new house key to enter the residence. The key did not work, so the person trying to enter the house opened the living room window from the outside in order to be able to enter the house.
Mr. Getter had been sleeping on the sofa near the living room window and began to shout at the person entering for waking him up. This escalated, according to the report, and Mr. Getter allegedly continued to yell.
Domestic Battery
Jamie N. Giles, 28, 318
According to police, the two were arguing because Ms. Giles did not want to pay for Ms. Noble’s tuition for school. Ms. Noble began to yell because she believed that Ms. Giles should at least be on the financial aid paperwork but Ms. Giles refused.
s. Noble then allegedly began to throw things inside the residence. When Ms. Noble allegedly threw Ms. Giles’ 60-inch television to the ground, Ms. Giles allegedly attempted to physically push Ms. Noble out of the residence. Ms. Noble then allegedly began to strike Ms. Giles, allegedly hitting Ms. Giles several times in the face and later allegedly bit Ms. Giles’ right hand and allegedly pulled out some of her hair, according to police.
Police spoke with the original caller who related that she was unsure who struck who first. An officer photographed both Ms. Giles and Ms. Noble, Both were then arrested and transported to the Park Forest Police Department.
Trespassing
Kahil G. Banks, 28, 3762 W. 216th Pl., Matteson, was arrested on August 7 and issued a municipal citation charging trespassing after police responded to the 200 block of Grant Street at 10:38 PM in reference to a report of an unwanted subject.
SouthCom Dispatch told responding officers that the caller’s nephew was intoxicated and refused to leave the residence. When police arrived, they saw Mr. Banks on the back porch with the resident who had called.
Mr. Banks was severely intoxicated, according to police. He was “being extremely loud then whispering, speaking incoherently, displaying a wide range of emotions, and being confrontational,” according to the report.
Police offered to give Mr. Banks a ride to another location or to go to a hospital for detoxification, according to police. Mr. Banks allegedly refused all offers to peacefully leave, according to police. The caller then reluctantly stated that she would sign complaints against Mr. Banks on a charge of trespassing.
Mr. Banks was given another opportunity to leave prior to being placed under arrest but he allegedly refused, according to police. He was placed under arrest under suspicion of trespassing, was transported to the Park Forest Police Department, and was placed into a cell so he could regain his sobriety.
He
Second of Two Felonies: Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance
Larnell Thomas, 53, 13406 S. Ridgeway Ave., Robbins, IL, was arrested on August 8 and charged with one felony count of possession of a controlled substance after police were dispatched to the 300 block of Douglas Street at 9:59 PM in reference to a complaint of criminal damage to property.
Communications (SouthCom Dispatch) advised that the complainant said that someone was breaking into a house two doors down from him, that someone had broken the glass door. Communications further advised that the male subject was wearing a striped blue, white, and orange shirt.
When police arrived they spoke with two complainants who related that they were outside of a residence in the 300 block of Douglas Street when they heard a loud banging coming from down the street. They looked down the road and observed the man they described at the front door of a residence.
The complainant’ said they saw the man allegedly strike the door several times with an object in his hand, breaking the glass door, reaching in the window opening, and allegedly unlocking the door, according to police. The man allegedly proceeded inside the home and then exited a short while later, according to the witnesses.
Police walked northbound on Douglas Street and observed a man, later identified as Larnell Thomas, wearing a striped blue, white, and orange shirt matching the description given by the complainants.
Police noted that Mr. Thomas’ right calf had a fresh laceration on it with blood running down his leg, according to police.
While speaking with officers, Mr. Thomas took out a small clear Ziploc baggie containing an off-white powdery substance, according to police. Police suspected that the baggie contained something similar to narcotics.
Police asked him what was in the baggie. He then placed the item in his left hand and balled his hand into a fist, according to police. Police advised Mr. Thomas that he was under arrest and placed him in handcuffs without incident. An officer retrieved the Ziploc baggie which fell out of his left hand.
Mr. Thomas sat down by officers on the driveway and “spontaneously took off his right shoe,” according to the report. Police noticed a significant amount of broken glass inside his shoe.
An officer transported Mr. Thomas to the Park Forest Police Department. Another officer transported Mr. Thomas’ shoe and the clear plastic baggie to the Park Forest Police Department.
Police found a large
