Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)— A driver sought police and alleged that someone struck him in the head with a firearm at a bar in Steger. Unfortunately, the man showed signs of intoxication, police said. While speaking with officers, it became clear that they were concerned that he was driving under the influence of alcohol. He asked the officers for empathy and for them to follow him home. It appears police instead had empathy for the drivers on the road who were not intoxicated. They charged this man with DUI alcohol.
That and other reports follow.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Beginning October 6, 2025
DUI Alcohol
Police arrested Armanni D. Bitoy,32, of the 300 block of Wildwood Dr., Park Forest, on October 6 and charged him with DUI alcohol, speeding 1 to 10 mph above the limit, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. An officer was conducting a stationary patrol at 1:31 AM near the intersection of Westwood Drive and Westgate Drive. She saw a white Jeep Cherokee make a right-hand turn from westbound Sauk Trail onto northbound Westwood Drive. Her radar unit confirmed the vehicle speed as 36 mph in a posted 30 mph zone, according to police.
The officer saw the Jeep stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Westwood Drive and Lakewood Boulevard before continuing northbound. She remained parked facing south on Westwood Drive. Using the rearview mirror, the officer saw the exact vehicle slow down near Westwood and Westgate before performing a U-turn. It then proceeded southbound toward the officer’s location.
Driver Makes U-turn, Returns to Police
As the vehicle traveled southbound on Westwood Drive, it slowly approached the officer’s marked patrol vehicle. As the Jeep neared her location, the officer began driving south and subsequently made a U-turn to face northbound on Westwood Drive. The Jeep was now positioned facing southbound.
At this time, the officer saw that the driver’s side door of the Jeep was open. Due to what she considered unusual behavior, the officer notified SouthCom of her location and the suspicious circumstances, according to police. She made contact with the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, Armanni D. Bitoy. According to police, Mr. Bitoy’s speech was slurred. He allegedly stated that he had been “smacked over the head with the gun.”
The officer saw Mr. Bitoy holding paper towels to the left side of his head with visible blood on his shirt, according to police. He removed the paper towels, revealing a laceration on the top of his head on the left side.
The driver said he was at a bar in Steger.
When she asked where the incident occurred, Mr. Bitoy responded, “Some bar,” and later stated, “Glass Tap,” according to police. This was a bar in Steger, according to police. Mr. Bitoy exited his vehicle with his hands raised and stated that he “did not want to be killed,” according to police. The officer asked if he wanted paramedics, but he refused, saying he “could not afford all of that,” according to police.
According to the report, Mr. Bitoy appeared unsteady on his feet and was leaning against his vehicle for balance. The officer again offered medical assistance, but Mr. Bitoy declined, saying that he had been struck by the bartender at the Glass Tap with a drink and then with a gun, according to police. His speech remained slurred and difficult to understand, according to police.
Driver Refuses Medical Assistance, Citing Financial Concerns
The officer expressed concern for Mr. Bitoy’s well-being and offered medical assistance, which he refused multiple times, again citing financial reasons, according to police. Another officer arrived on the scene.
While speaking with Mr. Bitoy, the other officer detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from Mr. Bitoy’s breath, according to the police. This officer asked Mr. Bitoy how much he had consumed. Mr. Bitoy stated that he had “three beers,” according to police. When the officer asked how his vehicle had arrived at that location, Mr. Bitoy admitted he had driven. He stated that he lived less than a mile away and was on his way home.
Driver Asks for Empathy, To Follow Him Home
Police requested a driver’s license, but Mr. Bitoy failed to produce one. Instead, he allegedly rambled incoherently with slurred speech, according to police. He again said that the bartender struck him with a firearm.
One of the officers asked for his phone number. He replied that he “literally lived down the street,” according to police. He stated that he just wanted empathy and did not wish to be towed or ticketed, according to police. One of the officers explained that they were trying to help him and again asked who struck him. Mr. Bitoy allegedly refused to answer directly, police said. He continued to ramble, according to the report, and stated that he wanted to “press charges to the fullest extent of the law.”
Officers Suspect DUI
Due to the indicators of intoxication, including slurred speech, unsteady balance, confusion, and the odor of an alcoholic beverage, one officer expressed concern about his ability to operate a vehicle safely. This officer asked if Mr. Bitoy would perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs). He allegedly refused, stating that he lived nearby and asked that officers “follow him home,” according to the report.
One officer told Mr. Bitoy that she could not allow him to drive in his current condition. He replied that he was “not a threat” and said that he felt perceived as one because of his height, according to police. Officers assured him they did not view him as a threat, police said.
After multiple refusals to perform SFSTs, the police advised Mr. Bitoy that they were arresting him on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. At approximately 1:49 AM, police arrested Mr. Bitoy on suspicion of DUI. At the police station, the police took Mr. Bitoy through various stages of the SFSTs, according to the police. Mr. Bitoy had an initial court date of November 7, 2025, at the Markham courthouse.
DUI 0.08 or Greater
Police arrested Lurenzo J. Carr, 31, of the first block of McGarity Road, Park Forest, on October 6 and charged him with disregarding a traffic control device, DUI alcohol, and DUI 0.080 or greater.
At approximately 8:33 PM, an officer was traveling southbound on Forest Boulevard, approaching Lakewood Boulevard. The officer saw a dark-colored sedan, later identified as a black 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, allegedly disobeying the stop sign at Lakewood Boulevard while traveling northbound on Forest Boulevard. The officer conducted a U-turn and activated the emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. He followed Chevrolet northbound on Forest Boulevard as it continued driving.
According to the report, the vehicle did not stop but turned onto Fir Street just before Elm Street, police said. The officer used his squad’s spotlight to try to notify the driver to stop, according to police. The Chevrolet finally stopped on the left, or north side, of Fir Street. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was Lurenzo J. Carr, according to police.
Driver Uses His Car for Balance: Report
The officer asked that Mr. Carr exit the vehicle. As he did so, the officer saw that he used the car for balance, allegedly displayed slurred speech, and had an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath, according to police. Based on these indicators, the officer immediately asked Mr. Carr how much he had drunk that day. When he replied “not a lot,” the officer said he could smell it on Mr. Carr, according to police. At this point, Mr. Carr allegedly blew into the officer’s face, according to police.
When the officer asked for his ID, Mr. Carr allegedly replied that he would be honest and that he probably didn’t have it with him, according to police. He provided the officer with his name and date of birth. Another officer arrived to assist. The first officer on the scene administered Standardized Field Sobriety Tests to Mr. Carr. Afterward, police took Mr. Carr into custody. At the Park Forest Police Department, Mr. Carr provided a BrAC sample of 0.157, according to police.
DUI
Police arrested Trenton L. Washington, 59, of the 200 block of Shabbona Dr., Park Forest, on October 11 and charged him with DUI, disobeying a stop sign, and illegal transportation of alcohol by a driver.
At approximately 1:32 AM, an officer was traveling southbound on Blackhawk Drive, approaching Shabbona Drive. He saw a red four-door Nissan Altima also driving southbound on Blackhawk Drive at Shabbona Drive. The driver of that vehicle allegedly did not come to a complete stop at the stop sign, according to police. The driver made a right-hand turn and began to drive westbound on Shabbona Drive.
As the officer followed the driver, she noticed the driver allegedly began weaving within their traffic lane, according to police. She activated the emergency lights of her squad vehicle and curbed the Nissan in the 400 block of Shabbona Drive. Trenton L. Washington was the driver of the car, according to police.
Officer Suspects DUI
The officer allegedly saw that Mr. Washington’s eyes were bloodshot red and appeared to be glassy. She also smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from Mr. Washington’s person, according to police.
Mr. Washington furnished his Illinois driver’s license, and the police learned that his driving privileges were valid. Another officer arrived on the scene.
The officer who pulled Mr. Washington over asked him to exit his vehicle because she was going to administer Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. After the tests, police arrested Mr. Washington on suspicion of driving under the influence. Inside his vehicle, police found a clear plastic cup from the front cupholder that held what appeared to be an alcoholic beverage, according to the report.
Felony Aggravated Domestic Battery (Strangulation)
Police arrested Deshaon T Askew Jr., of the 100 block of E. Sycamore Dr., Park Forest, on October 12 and charged him with one count of felony aggravated domestic battery (strangulation).
Police responded to the 100 block of Sycamore Drive at 8:23 PM to investigate a domestic incident. Mr. Askew allegedly pinned down a woman and began to choke her, according to police. The complainant told police that at one point she was not able to breathe, the report said.
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.
