Law and Order, Local Police Reports, Park Forest

Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through January 21, 2020


Detective J.P. Garrity, 2019 Officer of the Year
Detective JP Garrity was voted as the 2019 Officer of the Year. Detective Garrity was chosen by his peers in part because of his excellent investigative work, his commitment as an assistant team leader with the South Suburban Emergency Response Team (a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team), and his passion for participating in multiple charities, police said in a statement. (Photo: PFPD)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- These police reports include arrests through January 21, 2020. Charges for those arrested include domestic battery, retail theft, felony possession of cannabis, and felony aggravated domestic battery.

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.

Retail Theft

Taira S. Massie, 51, 7122 S. Wabash Ave. #1, Chicago, was arrested on January 15 and charged with one count of misdemeanor retail theft after police responded to a business in the 100 block of South Orchard Drive in reference to a report of theft. SouthCom Dispatch advised that a regional manager caught one of his employees allegedly stealing from the store, according to police.

The regional manager responded to Family Dollar in Park Forest and pulled up video surveillance where he said he observed Taira S. Massie, an employee, allegedly placing money in her pocket from the cash register, according to police. The manager stated that Ms. Massie allegedly made an admission to doing $700 worth of fraudulent refunds and allegedly taking $500 in merchandise, according to police. Ms. Massie allegedly wrote a voluntary statement admitting to as much, according to the manager.

Later, at the Park Forest Police Department, Ms. Massie allegedly told police that she did take money and merchandise from the store but denied ever taking $500 worth of merchandise were doing $700 worth of fraudulent refunds, according to police.

Leaving the Scene of an Accident

Daniel H. Dominguez, 22, 1334 Vincennes Ave., Chicago Heights, was issued traffic citations charging failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, leaving the scene of an accident – vehicle damage, and charged with one count of criminal damage to property (CN railroad gate).

An officer observed a disturbance in the area of 26th Street and Western Avenue on January 17 at approximately 8:52 AM. The officer notified other officers that the disturbance was the result of an alleged hit and run involving two vehicles, according to police.

Multiple officers responded to the area.

A witness told police that a gray Chevrolet Trailblazer allegedly struck the rear of another vehicle. The Trailblazer then drove through the Stop ‘N Shop parking lot onto Western Avenue, driving northbound, according to police. The Trailblazer then swerved and allegedly struck the Canadian National Railroad gate as it was lowering, according to police.

The Trailblazer began driving northbound, continuing to swerve, according to police. The Trailblazer was later involved in an accident where it allegedly struck a house in the 400 block of Rutledge Street in Park Forest, according to police.

The driver of the Trailblazer, Daniel H. Dominguez, was positively identified by the witness, according to police.

Domestic Battery

Scotty L. Willis, 45, 1915 E. Cedar Pl., Kankakee, was arrested on January 17 and charged with domestic battery after police were dispatched to the 200 block of Marquette Street to investigate a report of a domestic dispute.

A responding officer walked up to the front door of the residence and heard people yelling and arguing inside, according to police.

Mr. Willis allegedly “jumped” a resident at that address, allegedly hitting and kicking him, according to police. Mr. Willis appeared to be intoxicated and was “highly agitated while speaking with the officers,” according to the report.

Felony Possession of Cannabis

Sean A. Boyd II, 25, 926 Greenwood Ave., Ford Heights, was arrested on January 17 and charged with possession of cannabis over 100 grams, a class 4 felony, no driver’s license, and obstructed registration plate.

An officer was on Todd Street at 10:56 PM when he saw a red Dodge minivan traveling North on Todd Street toward Illinois Street. The vehicle turned east on Illinois Street and the officer noticed that the rear registration plate was completely covered with snow so that none of the registration numbers were visible, according to police.

The officer curbed the vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the 1500 block of Western Avenue.

The officer approached the vehicle and spoke with the driver who was later identified as Sean A. Boyd. Mr. Boyd told the officer that the vehicle was a rental and belong to his brother, according to police. Immediately upon making contact, the officer detected a “strong odor of burnt cannabis emanating from the interior of the vehicle,” according to the report.

Mr. Boyd denied personally smoking cannabis in the vehicle but allegedly said that his brother had just done so, according to police.

Mr. Boyd told the officer there was no cannabis inside the vehicle, according to police. The officer identified a passenger in the vehicle. SouthCom dispatch conducted a LEADS inquiry of the driver and related that Mr. Boyd did not have a valid Illinois driver’s license, according to police.

Two officers from Chicago Heights arrived on the scene to assist, according to police.

The officer from Park Forest asked Mr. Boyd to exit the vehicle and told him he was under arrest on suspicion of no valid driver’s license, according to police.

An officer from Park Forest also arrived on the scene to assist.

When police cleared the registration plate they learned that the vehicle was registered in Nebraska, according to police. Per local ordinance, the first officer on the scene requested a told to impound the vehicle, according to police.

While conducting an inventory search of the minivan, police discovered two plastic sandwich bags, one larger and one smaller, containing a green leafy substance, suspect cannabis, from the center console of the vehicle; and another plastic sandwich bag containing a green leafy substance, suspect cannabis, from the pocket on the back of the driver’s seat, according to police.

The passenger denied ownership of the cannabis and asked the arresting officer to ask Mr. Boyd who it belonged to, according to police. The passenger was released from the scene without charges, according to the report.

At the Park Forest Police Department, police determined that all of the cannabis weighed 155 grams, according to the report.

Mr. Boyd allegedly told police that he purchased a smaller bag of cannabis at a cannabis convention at a club in Harvey, according to police. According to Mr. Boyd, he only purchased 7 grams which cost $60, according to police. Mr. Boyd said that the rest of the cannabis belonged to the passenger and another individual who police identified, according to the report.

Mr. Boyd was the only person charged, according to police.

Felony Aggravated Domestic Battery

Harold L. Brooks Jr., 23457 Western Ave. #3, Park Forest, was arrested on January 19 and was charged with felony aggravated domestic battery after police were dispatched to the 23400 block of South Western Avenue at 7:47 PM to investigate a report of a domestic dispute. Mr. Brooks allegedly choked a woman who told police that she was “gasping for air and was feeling like she was going to pass out,” according to police.

The woman said she told Mr. Brooks that she could not breathe but Mr. Brooks allegedly continued to choke her, according to police.

One of the responding officers observed scratches and red marks on the left and right sides of the woman’s neck, according to police. Mr. Brooks allegedly choked her for about 30 seconds, according to the police.

Mr. Brooks allegedly told police that the two were arguing over pictures posted on social media, according to the report. Mr. Brooks allegedly said the woman started attacking him, striking him in the face, according to the report. Mr. Brooks allegedly said that he pushed her down onto a bed, got on top of her to defend himself, according to the report.

Mr. Brooks allegedly told police that he did grab her by the neck because he was trying to get her off of him and probably scratched her neck with his long fingernails, according to police.


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