Law and Order, Local Police Reports, Park Forest

Park Forest Police Blotter Reports from July 1 through July 7, 2020


Officer Craig Taylor
Officer Craig Taylor of the Park Forest Police Department. (Photo: PFPD)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- These police reports include arrests through July 7, 2020 and include charges for domestic battery and assault.

Please note that we repeatedly say “according to police” in these reports and often use the word “allegedly.” We are not asserting in any way that those arrested and/or charged have committed any offenses. We report on what is in the media reports furnished by police. As those charged are innocent until proven guilty, the burden is on prosecutors and police to prove all alleged crimes.

Providing more details than readers will find in any other police beat reports, we invite readers to subscribe to get the whole story, every day.

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.

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 end up with 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.

Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through July 7, 2020

Domestic Battery

Jamari Wilbourn, 21, 8847 S. Dante Ave. #1, Chicago, was arrested on July 1 and charged with domestic battery after police responded to the first block of Indianwood Boulevard in reference to a report of a disturbance.

While on their way, SouthCom Dispatch advised police that a man was allegedly trying to force a woman into a vehicle, according to the report.

SouthCom provided a description of the vehicle.

A responding officer saw the vehicle as it turned north onto Western Avenue from Indianwood Boulevard, according to police. Another officer stopped at the home in the first block of Indianwood Boulevard and spoke with the alleged victim, according to police.

The officer who saw the vehicle initiated a traffic stop on Western Avenue North of Indianwood, according to police. The officer approached the vehicle and spoke to the driver, Jamari Wilbourn, who told the officer that nothing had occurred, according to the report. Mr. Wilbourn said he was trying to get his girlfriend into the vehicle so they could leave, according to police.

The officer who spoke with the alleged victim then advised the officer who pulled over Mr. Wilbourn that Mr. Wilbourn should be arrested on suspicion of domestic battery, according to police.

The officer with Mr. Wilbourn took Mr. Wilbourn into custody and transported him to the Park Forest Police Department.

Mr. Wilbourn’s vehicle was towed and an administrative seizure placed on it per local ordinance, according to police.

According to the alleged victim, Mr. Wilbourn allegedly choked her and punched her in the face multiple times, according to police. She never lost consciousness nor had any issues breathing, according to the report. Mr. Wilbourn then allegedly tried to force her into his vehicle, according to police. Mr. Wilbourn then allegedly fled the area after failing to get her into the car, according to police.

Police processed Mr. Wilbourn on the domestic battery charge and subsequently learned that Mr. Wilbourn had an active order of protection with the alleged victim as the petitioner, according to the report. The order of protection was issued on June 1, 2020, but Mr. Wilbourn had not yet been served, according to police.

Domestic Battery

Ricky L. Stevenson, 51, 450 W. 15th St., Chicago Heights, was arrested on July 1 and charged with domestic battery and criminal damage to property. An officer saw a man in the 300 block of Main Street at 11:25 PM who flagged down the officer and subsequently placed his hands on the front hood of the officer’s squad car, according to police. After a short discussion, Mr. Stevenson requested a ride to the 300 block of Oakwood Street.

Three officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of Oakwood Street at 11:39 PM to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance, according to police. SouthCom Dispatch told officers that a man allegedly kicked in the door of the residence, according to police.

Upon arrival, an officer spoke with a man who said he was in his bedroom trying to sleep when he heard his door being kicked in, according to police. He said he stood up and a relative, Ricky L. Stevenson, allegedly entered his bedroom, grabbed his neck, and said, “I’ll kill you, you got my money,” according to police. Mr. Stevenson did not squeeze the man’s neck, according to the report. The man told police that Mr. Stevenson receives “government money,” according to police.

Mr. Stevenson then left the residence and reentered the door, allegedly saying, “Motherf****r, I ought to kill you now,” according to the report.

The alleged victim said that he wanted to pursue complaints against Mr. Stevenson on domestic battery and criminal damage to property, according to police. The man later signed a complaint.

Domestic Battery

Tika A. Ariyo, 47, 543 Lakewood Blvd., Park Forest, was arrested on July 4 and charged with domestic battery after police responded to the 500 block of Lakewood Boulevard to investigate a report of domestic battery.

When police arrived, Ms. Ariyo told them that a man at the residence allegedly grabbed her by the throat, pulled her hair, and tried to rip her shirt off, according to police. Police observed no visible marks or bruises on Ms. Ariyo’s throat or anywhere on her body, according to police. Her shirt had a ripped hole in the front, according to the police. Ms. Ariyo said that she ran into the bathroom and found a mop and hit the man with it in self-defense, according to police.

The complainant said he and Ms. Ariyo were arguing because she was upset about something she saw on his phone, according to police. Ms. Ariyo then allegedly hit him in the back of the head with something which he later found out to be a mop, according to police. The man said he did not grab her by the throat, pull her hair, or touch her at any time, according to police. He then gave officers his cell phone to show them a video recording of the incident, according to police.

Domestic Battery

Christopher S. Goodman, 39, 327 South Orchard Dr., Park Forest, was arrested on July 4 and charged with one count of domestic battery when police responded to the 300 block of South Orchard Drive to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance.

The alleged victim and complainant said that she came to the house to check on her mother who is a paraplegic and in the care of Christopher Goodman. Her mother said that she had not seen Mr. Goodman in several hours, that she needed something to eat and drink, and required other personal care. The alleged victim noticed that the front and rear doors of the home were open and the back gate was open, according to police.

She saw Mr. Goodman in the neighbor’ backyard “intoxicated,” according to the report. She then confronted him, yelling and calling him names, according to police. She then returned to the home to report that Mr. Goodman was at the neighbor’s house “partying,” according to police.

While she was speaking with her mother, Mr. Goodman arrived, came into the bedroom, and allegedly began choking the complainant, according to police. The complainant was able to push Mr. Goodman off of her and told her mother to call for the police, according to the report. She then went outside to her vehicle to wait for the police for her safety, according to the report.

The arresting officer spoke with Mr. Goodman who allegedly admitted to choking the complainant after she confronted him in the neighbor’s yard, according to police. Mr. Goodman allegedly stated, “If you want to arrest me, go ahead, because I did choke her,” according to police.

Assault

Trai A. Brown, 28, 146 Nashua St., Park Forest, was arrested on July 5 and charged with assault after police responded to the 100 block of Nashua Street to investigate “an unknown problem,” according to the report.

SouthCom Dispatch related that a 911 call was transferred to SouthCom by Laraway Dispatch from someone who said police were needed at the listed address, according to police.

Upon arrival, police spoke with Trai Brown, who said that a certain individual should be arrested for punching out a window of the residence just prior to officers arriving, according to police. Police spoke with the individual for whom Mr. Brown was referring and asked what happened prior to police arriving. The man said that he and Mr. Brown were both drunk and had an argument. The man denied breaking the window on the residence and did not know how it broke, according to police. Police found this man uncooperative and he would not elaborate further regarding the window or the argument, according to police.

However, an officer did see that the man’s hands showed no injuries or cuts consistent with punching out a window, according to police.

An officer noted a broken double-pane window on the West side of the residence, according to the report.

The officer spoke with others at the gathering who were unable to confirm an altercation between Mr. Brown or anybody else and were unable to tell police how the window broke, according to the report.

Police spoke with Mr. Brown and told him that if any criminal complaints were to be filed against the person he asserted broke the window, they would have to be filed by his landlord, according to police.

While explaining this to Mr. Brown, the report says, “Trai became enraged and began to repeatedly yell that he was going to kill him,” according to police.

While doing so, Mr. Brown allegedly rushed the door of the residence, grabbed the handle, and began to open the door. The man who was standing near the front door attempted to stop Mr. Brown by grabbing onto his arm, according to police. Mr. Brown allegedly pushed the man away and the man released his grip, according to police.

The officer, fearing that Mr. Brown was going to commit battery, pushed Mr. Brown into a nearby bush in front of the residence, preventing him from entering the residence, according to police.

Mr. Brown then rose back to his feet “and was subdued against a nearby vehicle in the driveway where he was taken into custody” by police, according to the report.


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