A foul-mouthed offender arrested on the 600 block of Hannah Avenue early April 10, probably would have received fewer charges had he cooperated with a police officer.
Axel Smith, 21, of Forest Park, was stopped after police observed him driving without a seatbelt and between lanes while headed east on Jackson Blvd. After a series of turns he pulled over in front of a house on Hannah.
Smith exited the vehicle and began to walk toward the home. He refused several orders by police to halt, continuing his path towards the house, and was eventually grabbed and handcuffed.
A search of Smith’s vehicle yielded an open bottle of Hennessy cognac, which he claimed, in between spewing obscenities, belonged to a friend. Smith was charged with obstructing justice, transportation of an alcoholic beverage, improper lane usage and seat belt violations.
One beer causes three-car crash?
A 66-year-old Chicago man who had allegedly been drinking caused a three-car accident that occurred on the 7200 block of Roosevelt Rd. on the night of April 10.
Allen Hubbard rear-ended a car that he told police had “stopped suddenly” on Roosevelt. The car that Hubbard hit then struck a vehicle in front of it, in a domino effect. Paramedics were called to take one party of victims to Rush Oak Park Hospital.
When police initially arrived, and the parties involved were waiting outside their respective vehicles, Hubbard was allegedly walking unsteadily and his eyes were glassy. What’s more, two open containers of whiskey were reportedly found in his possession.
Prior to recovering those items, the officers assumed Hubbard had been drinking, and opted to send him to Rush Oak Park Hospital, as well.
At the hospital, Hubbard informed police he had consumed a single beer at the Hillside Bowl bowling alley after he got off work. Nonetheless, he was taken into custody, where he submitted to a Breathalyzer test that yielded a Blood Alcohol Content level of .053 – lower than the .08 legal limit. Hubbard was charged with a DUI, transportation of an alcoholic beverage, and traffic violations.
A series of bad driving options
On the evening of April 7, police spotted a Chicago man’s vehicle illegally reverse its course on the westbound Interstate-290 ramp near Harlem Avenue and proceed to the highway via the eastbound ramp. The car, driven by 42-year-old William Parker, was pulled over just east of its entry point. According to Forest Park police, Parker voluntarily admitted not having a driver’s license. He said he was taking his girlfriend (the passenger) to the hospital because she was having trouble breathing (although she was reportedly smoking a cigarette). The Forest Park Fire Department was subsequently contacted and she was transported to Rush Oak Park Hospital for medical attention. A check of Parker’s identification proved his license was revoked for a DUI conviction. He was taken into custody and charged with driving with a revoked license, operating an uninsured vehicle, improper backing and making an improper turn at an intersection.
Jason Caruso, a 21-year-old Elmhurst resident, was arrested for driving with a suspended license after being stopped on the morning of April 9 at the intersection of Circle Avenue and Madison Street. The officer reportedly curbed Caruso’s car after an entry of Caruso’s license plates into a police computer revealed they were suspended for an insurance violation. He was charged with driving with a suspended license and with operating a vehicle with suspended registration.
Police arresting a Woodridge man for driving with a revoked license – the result of a DUI conviction – also found an open bottle of beer in his vehicle. On the morning of April 9, 25-year-old Abraham Martinez was stopped on Harlem Avenue near the Lake Street intersection for making an illegal left hand turn from Circle Avenue. A computer check of his license revealed it was revoked, police also reportedly observed a partially consumed bottle of Modelo beer near the center console. He was arrested and charged with driving with a revoked license, transportation of an alcoholic beverage, operating an uninsured vehicle, and traffic sign violations.
DUI
Ronald Williams, 57, of Chicago, was arrested and charged with a DUI after failing field sobriety tests early April 10. Police first spotted Williams’ vehicle on Roosevelt Road near Harlem Avenue traveling in the dark without any headlights on. He was stopped near Marengo Avenue, which is where he reportedly failed the tests.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between April 4 and April 11, 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 Nicholas Moroni
