A suspect with a history of driving with a suspended license led police on a high speed chase before finally being apprehended in a residential neighborhood, according to authorities.
Shortly after 3 a.m. on April 29, Forest Park police noticed a blue Chrysler approach the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Interstate 290 without its headlights on. When police attempted to curb the vehicle, the suspect took off into the westbound lane of the interstate, hitting speeds of 95 mph.
Jarvis Wardlow, 29, allegedly sped along the highway, weaving in and out of traffic before exiting onto Wolf Road. Wardlow blew through several red lights and stop signs before pulling into the driveway of 463 Elm St., where he fled on foot into the residential neighborhood.
A Hillside police officer spotted Wardlow behind a house at 436 Wolf St., according to police. In a police report on the alleged chase, Wardlow’s address was redacted.
Once in custody at the Forest Park station, Wardlow was charged with two felonies for fleeing the police, driving while intoxicated, resisting a police officer, driving without his headlights, speeding and failing to obey traffic signals.
Thief loses his clothing
A suspected purse snatcher was able to avoid prosecution for an early morning robbery on May 5, but police believe he may have lost his pants in the process.
At about 2:15 a.m. a woman walking in the 400 block of Beloit Avenue heard someone approaching her on foot from behind. She stepped off the sidewalk into the street, looked over her shoulder and saw the man running toward her, according to a police report. The suspect grabbed her purse and ran north along Beloit Avenue.
An officer responding to the scene found the woman giving chase to the suspect, but learned she lost sight of him in an alley on the 7500 block of Madison Street. She was carrying his jacket, according to police.
The woman’s purse was found outside of 426 Ferdinand Ave., with several items missing. “It also appeared as if the offender removed his pants while fleeing from the scene,” according to the department report.
When nature calls
A man charged with theft for allegedly refusing to pay a public transit fare argued with the arresting officer that he did in fact pay but had to answer nature’s call while standing on the platform.
John J. McDonald, 52, was reportedly seen by a CTA employee on May 3 walking across the train tracks and jumping onto the platform to avoid paying the fee. According to a department report, the employee told police that he has had several encounters with McDonald for troublesome behavior.
McDonald, whose address was redacted from the police report, began walking away from police when authorities tried to approach him, and immediately denied any wrongdoing.
“I … asked him his name, which he responded, ‘I didn’t do nothing wrong, I’m just trying to go on the train.'”
Once at the police station, McDonald said he had to use the bathroom so he left the platform and then returned.
“Come on man, just let me go, I just had diarrhea and I’m trying to go to the city. I won’t do it again,” McDonald allegedly said.
When ‘some’ is a lot
A suspect charged with driving under the influence allegedly admitted to drinking “some vodka,” but denied being intoxicated. However, when authorities tested his blood-alcohol limit, the man was found to be more than three times the legal limit.
Sitansu M. Ray, 48, was found driving south just after 5 p.m. in the Park District’s northbound driveway after authorities were alerted to a possible drunk driver in the area on April 29. Once outside the car, Ray allegedly failed two field sobriety tests and was leaning on the vehicle to maintain his balance. A breathalyzer test revealed a BAC of .253. The legal limit in Illinois is .08.
Ordinance violations
Roadways in Forest Park may be a little quieter after nine motorists between April 26 and May 6 were cited for excessive noise, a violation of a local ordinance.
Drivers who play their car stereos at a volume that is audible more than 50 feet from the car can be cited and are subject to a fine. According to police department reports, nine motorists cited recently were caught between the hours of 1:30 p.m. and 7:20 p.m. Eight of the suspected offenders were men.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between April 29 and May 6, 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
