Richard C. Panek, of the 4600 block of Navers Avenue in Chicago was arrested for reckless driving and driving while under the influence on April 3 at 4:23 a.m.
Officers spotted his green, four-door 1995 Ford Taurus allegedly speeding near the 400 block of South Harlem Avenue.
A laser speed gun was used, which allegedly showed Panek was driving at 72 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone.
Panek’s vehicle allegedly left all contact with the pavement and landed, causing the undercarriage to shoot out sparks. The car was also allegedly straddling the white lines dividing the two southbound lanes on Harlem Avenue while Panek attempted to pass cars that were on the road.
According to police, Panek changed lanes three times without signaling and, after officers activated their emergency lights and attempted to pull him over, he drove onto the sidewalk, coming to a halt there.
When Panek stepped out, officers allege his eyes were glassy and red, and he smelled of alcohol. He also allegedly could not stand up without swaying visibly.
Panek told the officer he was dropping off a friend and then going home, police report.
When police asked Panek’s passenger, Kevin J. Beckett, 34, to step out of the car, they asked if he had anything illegal on him and he allegedly informed the officer he had a bag of weed in his pants pocket.
A search revealed a sandwich bag containing a green leafy substance that police believe was cannabis.
A search of the car allegedly revealed three open and five closed bottled of Heineken beer. Also found was a 750 milliliter bottle of Absolut Vodka, open. The front driver’s seat was soaked in alcohol and there was a fresh stain on the roof of the car, police said.
Becket was charged with possession of an illegal substance.
On the way to the station, Panek allegedly told police he was a former race car driver, knew what he was doing, and was attempting to open up the car on the road because it felt like a race car.
Possession of drugs and driving with suspended license
? Jumeck R. Smith, 26, of the 7200 block of Division Street in River Forest, was arrested on April 2, at approximately 4:30 p.m. at the Go-Tane Gas Station at 949 Harlem Avenue, on suspicion of possession of drugs.
Police spotted Smith in his black 1989 Ford Bronco driving southbound on Harlem Avenue.
Smith turned right into the gas station and parked north of the pumps in an area police said was known for drug activity.
The officer said he observed the driver in the Bronco hunched over in the passenger seat. The officer parked in an alley
facing Smith, in a marked squad car 10
feet away.
When the officer approached the car and tapped on the window, Smith allegedly threw a cigar wrapper onto the passenger seat.
Smith turned over his identification card and a name check revealed he was driving with a suspended license. A search allegedly revealed five Ziploc bags in Smith’s pocket, containing a green leafy substance that the officer suspected was cannabis.
A search of the car revealed loose cigar tobacco on the floor, driver’s and passenger’s seats.
Police believe Smith was hollowing out the cigars to stuff them with cannabis.
The substance in the bags was tested and allegedly turned a positive result for 5 grams of cannabis.
Armed robbery
? A Forest Park man said he was mugged at gunpoint by two men in their early twenties near the 700 block of Desplaines Avenue, on March 28 at 7:45 a.m..
The man said he was walking southbound on Desplaines Avenue towards the CTA station when he was approached by a man wearing a Bulls jacket, who told him not to come forward at him and give him his bag.
Behind the victim was another man, wearing a NY Jets jacket, holding a hard metal object to his back, the Forest Park man told police.
After the man handed over his SBC duffel bag, containing $755 and various identification cards, the two assailants entered a white, early 90s Toyota or Honda with body damage to the passenger side and rust spots on the rear.
Since he still had his cell phone, the Forest Park man attempted to call the police, but the burglars told him not to, so the victim began walking northbound on Desplaines towards the police station.
The assailants fled southbound on Desplaines.
Public indecency
? Deion Rhodes, 21, of the 7400 block of Washington Street in Forest Park, was arrested and charged with violating park district curfew and carrying open containers of alcohol in public, as well as public discharge on March 29 at 10:23 p.m.
Witnesses called police after they allegedly observed Rhodes sitting on a slide on the tot lot located at the corner of Thomas Avenue and Adams Street, moaning and rocking back and forth.
The officers called Rhodes over and he allegedly informed police he was drinking and felt the need to urinate. Officers allegedly found an open bottle of Dekuyper Peppermint Schnapps and no evidence
of urine.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between March 20 and April 3 and represents a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in this report has only been charged with a crime. The cases have not yet been adjudicated.
?”compiled by Melissa Lou
