Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through March 8, 2021
DUI
Megan S. Day, 27, 133 E. 141st St., Riverdale, was arrested on March 2 and charged with aggravated speeding, improper lane usage, driving while license was suspended, operation of an uninsured motor vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol, and DUI with a BAC greater than .08.
An officer driving westbound on Sauk Trail from Western Avenue at 12:15 AM saw a tan sedan traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail at a high rate of speed, according to police. As the vehicle passed Oswego Street, using his vehicle’s radar, the officer confirmed that the vehicle was traveling 66 mph in the posted 35 mph zone, according to police. That vehicle was the only car traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail at that time, according to police.
The officer immediately conducted a U-turn and noted that the vehicle immediately began to break and decelerate as a continued eastbound, according to police. The officer caught up with the vehicle as it turned southbound onto Western Avenue. The car traveled south at a high rate of speed, according to police. After passing the intersection of Western Avenue and Monee Road, the car slowly drifted into the left-hand lane and failed to use a turn signal until almost entirely inside the left-hand lane, according to police. The vehicle also failed to yield the right-of-way to another car which had already established the left lane, cutting in front of the second vehicle, leaving less than a car length between the two, causing the second vehicle to break to avoid a collision, according to police.
The officer activated the emergency lighting on his patrol vehicle and curbed the suspect vehicle on Steger Road just east of Western Avenue. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, Megan S. Day, told the officer, “Oh, my car is like I just left I just started it so it’s like speeding up,” according to police. The officer conducted Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and arrested Ms. Day. At 1:19 AM, Ms. day submitted a breath sample yielding a BAC of .158, according to police.
Driving While License Suspended
A Richton Park woman was arrested on March 2 and charged with speeding, obstructing identification, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, driving while license was suspended, and expired registration. An officer traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail saw a gray sedan traveling at a rate of 52 mph, according to police.
The officer conducted a U-turn toward the vehicle which stopped at the traffic signal of Sauk Trail and Indianwood Boulevard, according to police. The officer conducted an inquiry on the license plate of the car and learned that the registration was expired, according to police. The traffic signal turned from red to green. The officer activated his patrol vehicles emergency lights and curbed the vehicle on Sauk Trail near Meota Street.
The officer asked the driver for her driver’s license and insurance. The driver provided the officer with an Illinois identification card with a different name on it than her name, according to police. The officer later learned that the identification card she provided was actually for a relative, according to police. When the officer conducted an inquiry of her name, he learned that she had a suspended driver’s license, according to police.
Criminal Trespass
Justin M. McClendon-Johnson Jr., 26, 130 Westwood Dr., Park Forest, was arrested on March 3 and charged with criminal trespass to real property after police responded to the 500 block of Homan Avenue to investigate a report of trespassing. The officers responded at 12:45 PM and found to real estate agents who were supposed to take photographs of the residence in question in order to list the property for sale. When they arrived they observed two U-Haul moving trucks and several subjects in the driveway walking into the property. The agent said they asked the subjects why they were there and were told that they were renting the residence, according to police. The subjects soon became hostile with them, according to police.
Police spoke with Justin M. McClendon who was at the front door of the residence in question. He told them that he saw a post on Facebook Marketplace advising that the house was available for rent, according to police. Post was created by a user with the name “Aria” and no further identifying information, according to police. Mr. McClendon said he sent a money order of $3000 to an unknown subject, according to police. Mr. McClendon could not provide a receipt for the money order which he claimed to have sent. Money order was for a move-in fee and rent for the first month, according to police.
McClendon then contradicted his story and stated that “Aria” send him the code for the lockbox which contained a key, according to police. Mr. McClendon said he did not know what happened to the lockbox, according to police. He provided police with documents signed and dated January 5, 2021. Police determined that the documents were fictitious and did not appear legitimate, according to police.
Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm
Aaron L. Moore Jr., 28, 132 Forest Blvd., Park Forest, was arrested on March 5 and charged with driving without lights, improper Lane usage, driving under the influence of alcohol, and aggravated discharge of a firearm.
An officer was on the south ramp of the Park Forest Police Department when he heard 4 to 5 gunshots coming from an unknown area south of the department. The officer notified SouthCom Dispatch and responded to the area near Indianwood Boulevard and Lester Road in an attempt to locate any evidence of shots being fired, according to police.
It was 1:52 AM.
Another officer notified SouthCom that a vehicle was driving without lights eastbound on Main Street. That officer was following that vehicle which was now growing North on Western Avenue. The officer following the vehicle initiated a traffic stop on Western Avenue and Route 30.
The officer who heard the gunshots responded to the stop where the driver and sole occupant, Aaron L. Moore Jr., had already been detained by police. Police discovered that Mr. Moore had a firearm within reach while showing signs of intoxication, according to police. Police advised Mr. Moore of his Miranda Rights and took him into custody, according to police.
The officer who heard the gunshots conducted Standard Field Sobriety Tests Mr. Moore at the Park Forest Police Department. Mr. Moore refused to provide a breath sample.
Battery
Jacob A. Yore, 39, 204 Dogwood St., Park Forest, was arrested on March 5 and charged with battery after police is funded at 5:28 PM to the 200 block of Dogwood Street to investigate a report of battery.
Domestic Battery
Deandre J. Gant, 26, 58 Indianwood Blvd., Park Forest, was arrested on March 6 and charged with domestic battery after police responded to the first block of Indianwood Boulevard to investigate a report of domestic battery. Mr. Gant allegedly struck a woman in the face twice with his closed fist and allegedly struck her several times on the back, 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.
Police captured all the incidents in this report on body-worn and dash-mounted cameras by officers at the respective scenes, according to police. 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.
