A man who had passed out while allegedly shooting heroin in a coffee shop bathroom was discovered by police earlier this month, and is facing felony drug possession charges.
At 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 10, 29-year-old James Ingram was not responding when police knocked on the bathroom door at Dunkin’ Donuts, according to a department report. Officers were called to the store at 7200 Circle Ave. after an employee reported Ingram had been in the restroom for some 20 minutes. Once inside the lavatory, police found Ingram on the floor next to the toilet with a loaded syringe and a burnt metal spoon, according to a police report.
Fearing a drug overdose, police called for an ambulance.
Once in custody, police searched the Glen Ellyn resident and found 16 small bags of heroin totaling 13 grams. A bottle of pills prescribed to someone other than Ingram had “17 small white pills” inside. Another lone blue pill was found in the suspect’s pocket, according to police.
Ingram allegedly told police he recently broke up with his girlfriend and was depressed. He had been taking Oxycontin for pain until a friend suggested he try heroin. This incident marked the first time he had used the illicit substance, according to statements Ingram made to police.
Baby used in shoplifting plot
Two women were charged with felony theft for allegedly trying to hide stolen goods under an infant as they pushed the child in a stroller through a retailer on Roosevelt Road. Deysi Y. Salmeron, of Cicero, and Maria E. Miranda, also of Cicero, were arrested shortly before 3 p.m. on Oct. 9 after an employee at Kmart reportedly watched the women hide more than $260 worth of items in the stroller and a diaper bag.
Salmeron’s husband was contacted to take custody of the baby girl. According to statements reportedly given to police, the two women originally had no intention of stealing the items and were simply at the store to shop. However, once inside they agreed to try and conceal the goods and leave without paying.
Headless pachyderm
The decapitated head of an elephant statue was recovered in front of Louie’s Grill this month, marking yet another incidence of vandalism and theft to strike the celebratory monuments lining Madison Street.
A police report filed on the discovery of “Smiley’s” head suggests the damage may have been accidental, perhaps caused by young children sitting on the statue. The head was otherwise undamaged. Police took the item back to the police station for storage.
Two other elephants have been reported stolen since the small monuments were erected as part of a municipal celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the naming of Forest Park.
DUI suspect blows .216
A 23-year-old Bellwood resident was charged with driving under the influence after pointing out an empty beer can on the floor of his vehicle to police and failing a handful of field sobriety tests, according to a department report. Reginald T. Payton is alleged to have had a blood-alcohol content of nearly three times the legal limit.
Police stopped Payton’s Mercury Marquis shortly before 6 p.m. on Oct. 10 in the 600 block of Ferdinand Avenue for failing to signal a right hand turn. When asked for his driver’s license, Payton began searching his pockets and then turned to the officer and asked, “Wait, what did you want again,” according to police. Suspecting that he may be intoxicated, police asked Payton whether he had been drinking. The suspect reportedly pointed to an empty beer can on the floor of the vehicle and answered in the affirmative.
Once in custody, Payton recorded a BAC of .216, according to police. The legal limit in Illinois is .08.
Suspect claims brotherly love
A motorist who was about to get off with a warning for driving with an expired registration and invalid insurance didn’t fare so well after police asked to look inside the man’s van. James Oliver, 61, of Milwaukee, was charged with felony drug possession after police allegedly uncovered 12 grams of heroin in the vehicle.
Police spotted Oliver’s 1997 Dodge Ram at the corner of Roosevelt and Circle avenues shortly after 5 p.m. on Oct. 14. The vehicle didn’t have any license plates and the seven day permit affixed to the rear window had expired the day before. After speaking with the driver, the officer wrote a warning ticket for the violation, then asked to have a look inside.
A large plastic bag containing 20 smaller bags of heroin was found in the center console, according to police. A K9 unit was called in, but no further drugs were found.
According to Oliver, the drugs were purchased on his sister’s behalf. For two years Oliver has been buying heroin for his sister in an effort to protect her from street crime, according to a police report. Police also recovered $180 in cash.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between Oct 6 and Oct 14, 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
