Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)— A University Park man allegedly told police that the reason he drove so slowly on Western Avenue was that his mother was home. An officer saw the man allegedly driving 20 mph on Western Avenue at 1:00 a.m., police said.
Park Forest Police Reports Beginning February 4, 2026
DUI, BAC Over 0.08
Police arrested Ravon C. Fulcher, 40, of the 500 block of Hickok Ave., University Park, on February 4, and charged him with BAC over 0.08, DUI, improper turn, no insurance, illegal transportation of alcohol, and failure to signal.
An officer conducting routine patrol in the area of Western Avenue and Main Street at one a.m. saw a vehicle traveling southbound on Western Avenue. According to the officer’s radar, the vehicle was allegedly traveling at 20 miles per hour. The posted speed limit in the area is 35 mph. Making a U-turn, the officer began following the vehicle southbound on Western Avenue.
Observing the vehicle drift toward the curb and then correct back to the middle of the lane several times, the vehicle activated its turn signal and kept it on as it passed the first available turn, Apple Lane. The car then turned onto Sauk Trail. It allegedly failed to maintain the curb lane while executing the right turn. Instead, it entered the adjacent left lane, police said. The officer identified the car as a Mercury.
Driving Slowly Because Mother Was Home: Report
Activating the emergency lights on the patrol vehicle, the vehicle came to a stop. The driver and sole occupant of the car was Ravon C. Fulcher, according to police. Mr. Fulcher told the officer that he was heading home. The officer allegedly observed that Mr. Fulcher had slurred speech and bloodshot, red, glassy eyes, according to police. When the officer asked Mr. Fulcher why he was driving so slowly, he allegedly said he had just gotten divorced and that his mother was there, according to police.
According to the report, the officer detected an odor of alcoholic beverage on Mr. Fulcher’s breath. The officer administered standardized field sobriety tests and subsequently arrested Mr. Fulcher on suspicion of DUI.
Driving With a Suspended License
Police arrested Derrius K. White, 29, of the 1900 block of Beacon Ct., Chicago Heights, on February 5 and charged him with driving with a suspended license, possession of cannabis 30 g-100 g, and improper turn.
An officer patrolling at 8:20 PM saw a white 2025 Chrysler Pacifica with Florida registration traveling southbound on Western Avenue. The officer began to follow the vehicle. While doing so, the officer allegedly observed the Chrysler turned westbound onto Sauk Trail from Western Avenue and pulled into the left lane instead of the inside lane, according to police. As the officer continued to follow the Chrysler, it attempted to make another turn onto Oswego Street. The officer activated the emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop. Mr. White was the driver of the car.
According to the report, Mr. White appeared to be nervous. He asked if he could just switch drivers with his passenger. Conducting a criminal inquiry, the officer learned that Mr. White had previous incident reports, according to police. The officer also learned that Mr. White had a suspended driver’s license. Asking Mr. White to exit the vehicle, the officer took him into custody on suspicion of driving with a suspended license, according to police.
Domestic Battery
Police arrested Omarion D. Leonard, 21, of the first block of Birch Street, Park Forest, on February 6 and charged him with one count of domestic battery when police responded to the first block of Birch Street to investigate a report of a domestic battery in progress.
DUI Alcohol, BAC Over 0.08
Police arrested James A. Bass, 49, of the 7900 block of Belmont Ave., Hammond, IN, on February 6 and charged him with driving while under the influence of alcohol, driving with a BAC over 0.08, improper lane usage, no valid registration, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. Police also issued Mr. Bass citations charging obstructing Street traffic.
An officer patrolling at 10:19 PM saw a black 2019 Dodge Charger traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail from Shabbona Drive. The vehicle allegedly had no front or rear registration, according to police. The officer performed a U-turn and got behind the Dodge. While following the car, the officer allegedly saw it swerving between the left and right lanes without signaling, according to police. The officer activated his emergency lights and stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Sauk Trail and Orchard Drive.
Approaching the car, the officer saw a small paper in the topmost rear portion of the rear window that appeared to be a temporary two-month registration out of Georgia. The registration expired on May 12, 2021, according to police.
Officer Suspects DUI
Informing Mr. Bass of the reason for the stop, Mr. Bass allegedly stated that he did not have a valid registration or insurance for the vehicle, as it had expired.
According to the report, the officer noted a strong odor of fresh and burnt cannabis, as well as an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the car. Mr. Bass also allegedly had red, glassy eyes, slurred speech, and slow, lethargic movements, police said. He allegedly told the officer that he had just left a bar, according to police.
The officer administered Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. After the tests, the officer arrested Mr. Bass on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol. At the Park Forest Police Department, Mr. Bass consented to a breathalyzer test, which showed a BrAC of 0.101, 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 that the police officers arrested and charged committed any offenses. We report on the information contained 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 consistently published the names and 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 identification of those arrested.
Presumption of Innocence
An arrest does not mean that a person is guilty. The law presumes that all those arrested by police 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 individuals wishing to leave anonymous information regarding any criminal matters, including narcotics or gang activity, to call the Park Forest Police Department’s Investigations Division at (708) 748-1309.
