Man charged with battering child
Forest Park police charged a 23-year-old Chicago man with battery after allegedly striking a 7-year-old boy in the chest as a reprimand for fighting with his 4-year-old brother in the basement of a building in the 1200 block of Circle Avenue on April 7 at about 9:30 p.m.
Police said the 7-year-old was clutching the left side of his chest, where they observed redness and swelling. Paramedics transported the boy, who does not appear to have suffered serious injuries, to Loyola University Medical Center for treatment.
The man arrested by police is reportedly the boyfriend of the victim’s mother.
Felony DUI
A 37-year-old Chicago man faces felony drunk-driving charges after he reportedly was observed driving a 2004 Lexus LS430 erratically while westbound on Roosevelt Road from Harlem Avenue on April 8 about 12:15 a.m.
Police learned that the driver, Terrell L. Nelson, was driving on a revoked license. The arresting officer also reported finding an open can of beer in a cup holder and a plastic cup containing sparkling wine in another.
Nelson reportedly refused to submit to sobriety tests and a breath test.
In addition to felony DUI, Nelson was cited for several traffic offenses and illegal transportation of open alcohol.
Drug arrests
Forest Park police charged a 25-year-old Bellwood man with delivery of cannabis, possession of cannabis and traffic offenses after an officer stopped his 2015 Jeep in the 7200 block of Madison Street on April 8 at 12:05 p.m.
The Jeep was passing the officer in traffic when the officer reported seeing smoke filtering out of the window and smelling the odor of cannabis. As the officer spoke to the driver, a female passenger allegedly attempted to toss a “blunt” out the window.
After getting consent to search the vehicle for more contraband, the officer reportedly recovered a plastic bag containing about 30 grams of cannabis as well as $388 on the driver.
A 24-year-old Forest Park man was charged with possession of 19 grams of cannabis, individually packaged in 1-ounce amounts in 19 plastic bags, after he reportedly failed to stop his 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix at a stop sign at Circle Avenue and 13th Street on April 9 about 3:35 p.m.
The officer reported smelling an odor of cannabis during the traffic stop and asked the driver if there was any cannabis inside the vehicle. The driver allegedly admitted there was and let the officer search the vehicle. The cannabis was found under the front passenger seat.
Police also seized $456, which the driver had in his possession at the time of the arrest.
Drunk and angry
Mohammed S. Alatawi, 26, of Elmwood Park, was charged with felony criminal damage to government-supported property after he allegedly kicked out the window of a Forest Park squad car following his arrest for allegedly being involved in a fight in front of a bar in the 7400 block of Madison Street on April 12 about 2:50 a.m.
An officer said no one involved in the fight wanted to press charges and that he was going to release Alatawi, who had been placed in the rear of a squad car. However, Alatawi, reportedly intoxicated, began spitting on and kicking at a window of the car, eventually breaking it.
He was also charged with aggravated assault for allegedly making threatening statements and gestures to police.
Burglary to vehicle
A resident of the 600 block of Grove Lane, Forest Park, contacted police on April 6 to report that during the overnight hours of April 5-6, someone entered her 2014 Buick sedan and removed an iPhone, iPhone charger and a key ring with three house keys attached to it.
Police advised the woman to have the locks on her residence changed. The vehicle showed no signs of forced entry, police said.
Argument leads to arrest
A 22-year-old Waukegan man was arrested by Forest Park on April 7 in the parking lot of McDonald’s, 420 Desplaines Ave., after he got into an argument with someone there.
When police arrived, the Waukegan man told them that an “old man” was supposed to drive him home and that he would pay him. But the driver of the supposedly hired vehicle said he didn’t want to drive him home, which led to the argument.
As police checked the names of the parties involved in the argument, they learned that the Waukegan man was wanted on a warrant out of Lake County after failing to appear in court for a battery case.
Forest Park police arrested him and transferred him to the custody of Cook County Sheriff’s Police, who would extradite him to Lake County.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, April 6-12, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.
—Compiled by Bob Uphues
