Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- These police reports include arrests through March 5, 2020. Charges for those arrested include aggravated speeding, DUI, unlawful possession of cannabis, domestic battery, and aggravated 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.
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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.
Aggravated Speeding, Unlawful Possession of Cannabis
Lakiethie D. Wright, 24, 365 Waverly St., Park Forest, was issued a citation on March 4 charging aggravated speeding after an officer saw a white SUV traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail allegedly at a high rate of speed at 2:26 PM, according to police.
According to police radar, the vehicle allegedly was traveling at 84 mph in the posted 35 mph zone.
The officer curbed the vehicle on Indianwood Boulevard near Sauk Trail, according to police. The driver and only occupant of the vehicle, Lakiethie Wright, allegedly told the officer that he was in a hurry to pick up his girlfriend, according to police. Mr. Wright was instructed to exit the vehicle and the officer placed him in handcuffs on suspicion of Class A aggravated speeding, according to police.
While performing an initial patdown, the officer asked Mr. Wright why he smelled like “weed,” according to police. Mr. Wright allegedly told the officer that he had some “weed” in his crotch, according to police.
The officer removed the handcuffs from Mr. Wright after he agreed to remove the cannabis, according to police. The bag of suspect cannabis was not odor-proof, child-resistant, or sealed, according to police.
The officer issued Mr. Wright a municipal citation charging unlawful possession of cannabis in a motor vehicle. Mr. Wright was released from the scene after he was assigned a court date of April 27, 2020, in the Markham Courthouse on the aggravated speeding charge.
Domestic Battery, Aggravated Assault
Capri A. Griffin, 26, 216 N. Crest Lane #205, Kankakee, was arrested on March 4 and charged with domestic battery and aggravated assault after police were dispatched at 5:42 PM to the 300 block of Marquette Street to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance.
A man alleged that a woman was refusing to leave and allegedly tried to hit him with her vehicle and allegedly sprayed him in the face with Mace, according to police.
Police were given a description of the vehicle she left the Marquette Street address and found it, curbing it on Minocqua Street near Sauk Trail, according to police. The driver was identified as Capri Griffin and allegedly told police that she was involved with the domestic disturbance, according to the report.
Police spoke with witnesses who allegedly saw the man and the woman allegedly hit each other and the man allegedly getting pepper-sprayed in the face by Ms. Griffin, according to police.
Ms. Griffin complained of head pain during the investigation of this incident and was transported to the St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields, treated, and later discharged and transported to the Park Forest Police Department.
Ms. Griffin allegedly admitted to pepper-spraying the man but said that she did so only to get away from him, according to the report. She denied intentionally trying to hit him with her vehicle, according to police.
DUI
Aaron C. Golden, 32, 3 W. Conron Ave., Danville, was arrested on March 5 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while under the influence of alcohol with a concentration more than 0.08, speeding over the posted limit, and having no proof of insurance.
An officer was parked at the Indiana Street and Lincoln Highway intersection at 2:23 AM utilizing the in-squad radar when he observed a silver 2017 Chevrolet Malibu traveling eastbound on Lincoln Highway allegedly at 58 mph, according to police. The posted speed limit is 40 mph, according to the report.
The officer caught up to the Chevrolet on Lincoln Highway east of Orchard Drive, matching its speed for approximately seven seconds, according to the report. During this time, the vehicle was allegedly traveling at speeds varying from 56 mph to 58 mph, according to police. The officer saw the Chevrolet swerve within the right-hand lane, according to the report, and activated the emergency lights of his squad, stopping the vehicle in a parking lot in the 2500 block of Lincoln Highway in Olympia Fields, according to police.
The officer spoke to the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, Aaron C. Golden, and asked him if there was any reason as to why he was speeding. Mr. Golden allegedly answered that there wasn’t, according to police.
The officer asked Mr. Golden where he was going and Mr. Golden related that he was “kinda lost,” according to police.
As Mr. Golden looked at his phone, the officer asked Mr. Golden where he was trying to go. Mr. Golden started to answer by saying, “Soooo, ahh, can I give yaa,” but was taking a long time to answer and never finished the sentence, according to the report.
The officer asked Mr. Golden where he was coming from and Mr. Golden allegedly responded, “Ahhh bar,” once again taking a long time to answer, according to the report.
The officer asked Mr. Golden which bar he was coming from but Mr. Golden never answered the question, according to police.
The officer noticed that Mr. Golden allegedly had red, bloodshot and glassy eyes, slurred speech, and the officer detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from Mr. Golden’s breath, according to the report.
The officer asked Mr. Golden how much he had to drink and Mr. Golden allegedly replied, “I’ve had a few,” according to police.
Another officer arrived on the scene to assist.
The first officer conducted field sobriety tests, after which he handcuffed Mr. Golden and placed him under arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to police.
The Chevrolet was towed per village ordinance.
At the Park Forest Police Department the arresting officer administered a breathalyzer test which indicated that Mr. Golden had a breath alcohol content of .200, according to police.
Domestic Battery
Raven G. Richmond, 22, 75 Cherry St., Park Forest, was arrested on March 5 and charged with domestic battery after police responded to the 100 block of Sycamore Drive to investigate a report of a domestic incident, according to police.
Police exited the second-floor elevator of the apartment building and could hear a man and woman yelling from inside an apartment door, according to police. Police approached the apartment door and saw a man pulling the door, attempting to open it, while yelling for the woman to leave the residence, according to police. Police saw the woman allegedly holding the door to keep the man from opening it, according to the report.
The man alleged that the woman, later identified as Raven G. Richmond, assaulted him and that he wanted her arrested, according to police.
The man said that he and the woman had a verbal argument inside the residence that started in the morning and continued throughout the day, that he wanted her to gather her belongings and leave, according to police. Ms. Richmond became upset and allegedly began to break things inside the residence that she had purchased, according to police.
Ms. Richmond then allegedly scratched the man on his face and neck approximately three times and allegedly choked him using two hands while he was attempting to stop her from breaking items in the residence, according to police.
Police arrested Ms. Richmond, transported her to the Park Forest Police Department, processed her on one count of domestic battery, and she was held pending transportation to the Will County Jail, according to police.
