Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—An officer effected a traffic stop and removed what police said was an illegal weapon from the streets. The Palmetto State Armory Dagger Full Size semi-automatic 9mm handgun Officer Verdin discovered during the stop is pictured above. A Park Forest man faces a felony charge of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in the aftermath of this incident.
That and other reports follow.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Beginning January 6, 2025
Suspended License
Police arrested Deonnie B. Clark, 23, of the 200 block of Indiana St., Park Forest, on January 6 and issued citations charging expired registration, uninsured motor vehicle, and driving while her license was suspended.
An officer patrolling at 10:14 AM in the area of Indiana Street and Sheridan Street saw a blue Nissan parked on the street that had expired registration, according to police. The officer learned through a computer check that the owner of the vehicle, Deonnie Clark, had a suspended license on a DUI with an active Cook County bond forfeiture warrant, according to police. The officer parked and began writing a parking citation. Then, an individual entered the Nissan and began traveling eastbound toward the officer. The officer got behind the Nissan and initiated a traffic stop near Sheridan Street.
Police processed Ms. Clark and gave her a “cite and release” regarding these charges. Her initial court date was February 26, 2025, at the Markham Courthouse.
Felony Possession of Cannabis
Police arrested Grant C. Crosby of the 18800 block of May Ave., Homewood, on January 7 and charged him with a Class III felony of possession of cannabis with intent to deliver and issued a traffic citation charging an illegally tinted front window.
Felony Aggravated UUW
Police arrested Robert E. Campbell III, 19, of the 100 block of N. Arbor Trl., Park Forest, on January 7 and charged him with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (UUW) and possession of cannabis. Police detained the driver of the vehicle Mr. Campbell was in, Daniel E. Hughes-Thomas, 19, of the 4200 block of Birchwood Rd., Richton Park, and issued him a citation charging speeding.
This incident began when an officer patrolling at 9:50 PM saw a Chevrolet Monte Carlo allegedly speeding on Western Avenue at 51 miles per hour in the posted 35 mph zone. The officer positioned his squad behind the Monte Carlo and activated his emergency lights. He effected a traffic stop near the intersection of Sauk Trail and Western Avenue.
When the officer spoke with the driver, he noted a strong odor of fresh, unburned cannabis emanating from inside the vehicle. He also saw remnants of a green substance, suspected of being cannabis, in a cup holder located in the front center console.
Officer Finds “Illegal Weapon”
The officer told the driver he would be searching the vehicle. He asked the driver, Mr. Hughes-Thomas, to exit the car. He complied. The passenger, Mr. Campbell, allegedly told the officer that he had cannabis on him and tossed a plastic Mylar bag with suspect cannabis on the front passenger seat as he got out of the car. Neither of the men had weapons on them. Inside the vehicle, however, police found a tan Palmetto State Armory Dagger Full Size semi-automatic 9 mm handgun located on the front passenger seat. The chamber did not have a live round. However, the magazine had nine live rounds, according to police. The weapon came back clear/no record when police checked it through LEADS.
Police later determined that the plastic Mylar bag Mr. Campbell had previously tossed on the front passenger seat at approximately 3.5 g of suspect cannabis.
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.
