A Chicago man arrested for allegedly trying to prevent an officer from confiscating a small amount of marijuana spent several hours in police custody, urinating in his cell, tossing his own feces around the station and eventually damaging a cell door, according to authorities.
The incident began shortly after midnight on Nov. 7 when police arrested 31-year-old Jeremy Patterson in the parking lot of a gas station on Harlem. While the driver of the car was processed for driving on a suspended license and then released on bond, Patterson allegedly told police he had urinated in the cell. He was “verbally combative” and then warned authorities that he would further soil his holding cell. Patterson allegedly began kicking the door and eventually bent the frame.
Upon moving their suspect to another holding cell, police called a cleaning crew to sanitize Patterson’s original holding cell. For damaging the door frame he was charged with damaging government property.
Then, in his new cell, Patterson allegedly stuffed a blanket into the toilet and flushed it repeatedly, causing water to leak in several places in the police department, including the officers’ kitchenette area. Patterson was moved again, and this time left in handcuffs. However, it was in this cell that he allegedly defecated on the floor and flung his waste around the cell, according to a department report.
Eight hours after his arrest, according to police, Patterson was again kicking the bars of his cell. A report completed at 1 p.m. that day states that after hours of such behavior, police asked Patterson to remove his shoes in the hope that he would not kick anything with his bare feet. Patterson allegedly refused, was stunned with a Taser, and then became compliant when threatened with another blast from the stun gun.
Thieves charged with endangerment
A Bellwood mother is accused of shoplifting more than $260 worth of merchandise from the Wal-Mart on the corner of Desplaines and Roosevelt, all while her juvenile son roamed the aisles with her.
Francine A. Gaston, 33, was arrested on one count of retail theft and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a child for the alleged Nov. 4 incident. According to a department report, Gaston entered the store with her son and 52-year-old Bernice S. Stanley, of Chicago. Stanley and Gaston allegedly filled a pair of shopping carts with some 30 items from the shelves, then stuffed the items into empty plastic Wal-Mart bags to give the impression that they had purchased the items. The police report did not say specifically what was allegedly stolen, but store employees reportedly valued the merchandise at $266. 59.
Stanley was also charged with felony theft and with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The boy was released into his father’s custody.
See officer, needles
A Cicero woman who reportedly told police that she has a history of drug-related arrests offered up her purse for inspection only to reveal a handful of needles and 48 plastic bags often used for distributing heroin, according to a department report.
Vickie G. Allen, 36, was arrested at about 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 6 on Harlem. Authorities allegedly saw Allen approach a vehicle in an area known for drug use and asked what she was up to. It was then that Allen allegedly said she had been arrested for heroin on past occasions, and offered her purse to the officer. A suspicious container inside the purse was also opened by the woman, said police in their report, revealing tools consistent with drug use.
Police confiscated five hypodermic needles, half of an aluminum can and the dozens of plastic bags. Residue inside the bags allegedly tested positive for opiates. Allen was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Accident leads to DUI charge
A 50-year-old Forest Park man was arrested for driving while intoxicated after police responded to a minor early-morning accident near a gas station on Harlem, according to a department report.
James R. Thomas smelled of alcohol and was slurring his words, police said, and admitted to having consumed “several” drinks. Thomas did not tell authorities how much he had to drink before the collision, but allegedly said he was drinking from 10 p.m. the night before until about 3:30 a.m. Police responded to the accident shortly after 4:30 a.m. Nov. 8.
“I asked Thomas if he would take a breath analysis test at our station and he stated, ‘yes, but I’m not going to pass,'” the arresting officer said in his report.
Once at the station, Thomas allegedly refused the exam, but had already failed two field-sobriety tests. He was charged with driving under the influence and making an improper turn.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, 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
