A father of two was arrested earlier this month after allegedly leaving the kids unattended while he went into a Madison Street bar for a beer.

Demetrius O. Shaw, 30, was arrested shortly before l a.m. on Feb. 2 and charged with two counts of child endangerment. According to a police report, Shaw and the children’s mother were arguing at Horan’s Pub at 7218 W. Madison St. when police arrived. The woman had called Shaw’s cell phone and spoke to their son. According to police, the boy told his mother that he was sitting in the car while his father was inside drinking.

A bartender at the pub confirmed to the officer that Shaw, a Chicago resident, had been in the bar for roughly an hour “nursing one beer.” The temperature outside, according to the report, was 10 degrees.

While being transported to the police station, Shaw allegedly defended his actions to the arresting officer, claiming that Forest Park is a safe enough community to leave the children unattended. The report made no mention of the children’s ages.

“Demetrius made statements that he would never leave his kids in the car like that at a ghetto bar, but Forest Park bars are not ghetto bars,” police said in their report.

An agent with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was notified.

DUI charges stacking up

A Forest Park woman whose license was already under suspension pending the outcome of a previous arrest for driving while intoxicated was allegedly caught again on Feb. 3.

Connie F. Ramirez, 35, was reportedly seen driving the wrong way on a one way street, striking the curb while trying to negotiate a corner, hitting another curb once she pulled over and doing it all with a flat, shredded tire. Once Ramirez managed to stop the car in the 7600 block of Yuba Street, police allegedly noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from within the two-door Chevrolet Cavalier.

Allegedly, Ramirez initially offered her driver’s license to the officer, but then after staring at the center console of the vehicle, turned back to the officer and asked what it was the officer was requesting. According to the police report, Ramirez admitted to drinking three beers an hour before being stopped, but refused to submit to a breathalyzer.

Threats lead to charges

Two men, who reportedly are often drunk when they patronize the McDonald’s restaurant on Desplaines Avenue, were arrested for disorderly conduct following a verbal confrontation.

According to police, William T. Higbee, 56, of Hillside, was exchanging profanities with Raymond J. Lynch at about 5:45 p.m. on Feb. 2. Lynch, a Chicago man whose age was not included in the police report, allegedly told authorities he wanted to be “locked in the same cell” with Higbee for a few minutes. Witnesses to the incident said both men are usually intoxicated when visiting the business.

Both men were handcuffed and escorted from the restaurant.

Weight clues cop to identity

After blowing through a stop sign at the corner of Harrison and Lathrop streets, 22-year-old Tarreshea L. McGowan, of Chicago, allegedly lied to police about her identity to avoid being arrested for driving on a suspended license.

On Feb. 2 just after 7:30 a.m., McGowan allegedly told police that her name was actually Quentrice L Norris. A computer check on that name came back with a description of a woman who was “100 pounds lighter” than the 5-foot 4-inch 190 pound suspect.

“McGowan adamantly denied she lied and attempted to repeat the false name and birthday, but mistakenly gave me her actual first name,” authorities said in their incident report.

In addition to the initial traffic violation, McGowan was charged with driving on a suspended license and obstructing a police officer.

Crack pipe found on suspect

Stephan Lesure, 44, of Oak Park, was arrested on drug related charges Feb. 2.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m., Lesure was seen exiting the back yard of 413 Harlem Ave., an area recently plagued with burglaries. According to a police report, Lesure began running north along Harlem, but was soon apprehended. A search of the suspect revealed a clear glass tube commonly used to inhale crack cocaine. Lesure was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.

These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between Feb. 2, 2007 and Feb. 12, 2007, and represent only 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 been adjudicated.

Compiled by Josh Adams