Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Police recovered two firearms in two separate incidents during the week of July 19 to July 25, 2022. Both of these incidents resulted in felony charges against those who allegedly had the weapons.
All told, this mid-summer period was a busy week for officers. All incidents from that week follow.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through July 25, 2022
Aggravated Driving While License Revoked
Troy E. Jones, 43, 747 Academy Ave., Matteson, was arrested on July 19 and charged with one count of aggravated driving while his license was revoked, one count of obstructing identification, and issued a traffic citation charging improper lighting – taillights.
An officer noticed that a vehicle stopped at a red light at Sauk Trail on Western Avenue had a damaged rear tail light, according to police. When the officer cubed the vehicle and asked the driver, later identified as Troy E. Jones, for ID, Mr. Jones related that he did not have identification on his person but provided his insurance card, according to police. Mr. Jones also allegedly gave a different name to the officer when asked, according to police.
The officer asked Mr. Jones for the last four digits of his social security number to confirm his identity and Mr. Jones allegedly related that he did not know it, according to police. The officer asked Mr. Jones to open his Facebook application on his phone to show him his profile picture and Mr. Jones allegedly said there might be someone else’s Facebook open on his phone, according to police.
Police later determined that Mr. Jones had a revoked Illinois driver’s license on a DUI, according to the report.
Unlawful Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Deliver
Kenyon J. Daily, 22, 3608 Glynwood Ln., Hazel Crest, was arrested on July 20 and charged with unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver when an officer saw a great Jeep with no front plate displayed, according to police. Mr. Daily was a passenger in the vehicle.
The officer stopped the Jeep smelled the odor of burnt cannabis coming from the vehicle and saw a cigar reenrolled with suspect cannabis sitting in the cup holder still burning, according to the report. The officer asked the driver when he last used cannabis and the driver allegedly said he smoked just before he got in his car to drive, according to police.
Inside a backpack belonging to Mr. Daily police found a large clear bag containing several small baggies filled with a green leafy substance, suspect cannabis, according to police. The baggies were not odorless, not childproof, and they contained no dispensary label, according to police. At the Park Forest Police Department police weighed the baggies and determined the cannabis weighed 90 grams, according to the report.
Felony Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon
Adam J. Williams, 24, 11263 S. Racine Ave., Chicago, was arrested on July 20 and charged with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, resisting a peace officer, and obstructing identification. Mr. Williams was also issued traffic citations charging improper use of registration, failure to display proper registration, driving while his license was suspended, and illegal transportation of alcohol.
An officer was in a squad vehicle at the old Family Video parking lot when he ran registration on a car three times and did not get a response, according to police.
The officer began to follow the vehicle and saw that another car was following it also, according to police. The officer initiated a traffic stop after the vehicle traveled east on Sauk Trail and then turned south on Western Avenue, according to police. The traffic stop was at Aunt Martha’s in the 23400 block of South Western Avenue, according to police.
The driver of the vehicle that the officer had questions about allegedly became uncooperative and refused to identify himself after multiple requests, according to the report. The officer finally searched using the VIN and determined that the vehicle Mr. Williams was driving was owned by a relative of his, according to police.
Mr. Williams finally provided the officer with his name and date of birth after which the officer learned that Mr. Williams had a suspended driver’s license, according to police. At this point, Mr. Williams was taken into custody, according to police.
While escorting Mr. Williams to the officer’s squad car, Mr. Williams allegedly locked up his legs on multiple occasions while telling police he was not getting to the police vehicle, according to police.
While searching the vehicle, police found a red and black bag containing an unloaded Para USA 1911 stainless steel handgun with one empty magazine along with a BB gun modified to look like a real firearm, meaning that it had a painted barrel, according to police. Police determined that Mr. Williams does not have an active FOID or a concealed carry license, according to the report. Police also found an open bottle of liquor in the car, according to police.
DUI
Victoria L. Wallace, 34, 3320 Western Ave., Park Forest, was arrested on July 21 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and DUI BAC greater than .08, according to police. Details of this incident are here: PFPD: Driver Found Slumped Behind the Wheel of Jeep Charged with DUI.
Domestic Battery
Douglas R. Johnson, 40, 102 Nanti St., Park Forest, was arrested on July 22 and charged with domestic battery, possession of a controlled substance, and processed on an outstanding warrant out of Homewood, IL, charging bond forfeiture when police were dispatched to an address on Nanti Street to investigate a domestic incident. Mr. Johnson allegedly struck a woman on the left shoulder, according to police.
Criminal Trespass
Curtis L. Wittington, 51, 350 Juniper St. #311, Park Forest, was arrested on July 22 and charged with criminal trespass to real property and issued traffic citations charging expired registration, no valid driver’s license, no insurance, and possession of cannabis when police responded to the 300 block of Juniper Street to investigate a report of trespassing.
Felony Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon
Cavonnie N.A. Harper, 19, 10 Monee Rd., Park Forest, was arrested on July 23 and charged with one count of felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and one count of misdemeanor obstructing identification when police responded to an address on Allegheny Street to investigate a reported domestic battery, according to police. The caller told police that Cavonnie Harper told him that her boyfriend beat her up and shot at her, according to the report.
Police were unable to locate Ms. Harper at the address where the alleged incident was reported to have occurred. Police spoke with someone who said they could hear Ms. Harper yelling on the next block. Police subsequently located Ms. Harper walking along the south side of the street on Arrowhead Street.
Officers asked if she was Cavonnie and she allegedly said she was not and continued walking, according to police. She then allegedly provided a different name to police and said she was not in need of police assistance, according to the report. She said she was waiting for a ride, according to police.
While that officer was speaking with Ms. Harper, SouthCom Dispatch informed other officers who responded that another person called 911 to report a woman walking in front of her arm with a firearm in hand, according to police. That the caller had footage of the woman who allegedly had the firearm, according to police.
Officers responded to that address and spoke with the woman who provided video footage and police found a silver and purple Taurus G2S 9-millimeter handgun underneath a car parked nearby, according to police. The firearm was loaded and contained seven rounds of live 9 mm ammunition, according to police.
Police observed the video and saw Ms. Harper walking eastbound on Arrowhead allegedly holding a firearm in her right hand, according to the report. Ms. Harper then saw an approaching police car and allegedly placed the handgun on the road underneath the vehicle where police found the firearm, according to the report.
Police took Ms. Harper into custody and transported her to the Park Forest Police Department, according to the report.
Felony Aggravated Battery to a Peace Officer
Jennifer M. Johnson, 43, 305 Seminole St., Park Forest, was arrested on July 24 and charged with felony aggravated battery to a peace officer and resisting arrest when police responded to an address on Seminole Street in reference to a report of battery. Upon arrival, police spoke with the alleged victim who said he got jumped by two people at an address on Seminole Street, according to the report. Police said the man was highly intoxicated but had several red bruises and lumps on the back of his head, according to police.
Officers asked if he needed EMS and he refused, according to the report. The man said he would go back to the house and pack his belongings so he could leave the home, according to the police. While police were waiting on the man, another man and Jennifer Johnson arrived on the scene, according to police. Ms. Johnson, the homeowner, became upset that the man who called the police was inside her home and tried to rush past an officer to get to that man, according to police.
According to the report, Ms. Johnson again allegedly tried to rush past officers to get to the man inside who was packing his belongings, allegedly battering the officer by pushing him, according to the report. Police informed Ms. Johnson that she was under arrest and she allegedly continued to resist the officer’s efforts to put her in restraints and allegedly struck an officer in the hand with her cell phone, 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.
