A 27-year-old Oak Park man called police on Sept. 21 at about 5:40 p.m. to report that someone had fired shots at his vehicle following what was apparently a minor traffic accident at First Avenue and Cermak Road in North Riverside.

The victim told police that a gold sedan occupied by two men struck his vehicle and drove away into Forest Park.

 As the victim followed the gold sedan in the 7700 block of Harvard Avenue, the passenger leaned out of the open passenger window and fired two handgun rounds toward the victim from about 20 to 30 feet.

The victim veered right to avoid more gunfire and the offending vehicle was last seen heading south down an alley. While no rounds struck the victim, one round did hit his vehicle, lodging in the front passenger door trim, police said.

An eyewitness confirmed the victim’s account of the shooting, saying the passenger of a tan-colored sedan fired two rounds, about five seconds apart, at a white vehicle that was following it.

Residential burglary

Police responded to a residence in the 1000 block of Marengo Avenue on the evening of Sept. 18 after a couple called to report that someone had burglarized their home while they were out shopping between 3:45 and 4:50 p.m.

Police believe the offender walked across the top of a chain link fence, using the home for balance, to reach a bedroom window, which was found smashed out and unlocked. The victims told police that the offender took $500 from a box, but left an iPad and jewelry alone.

Two witnesses told police that they’d seen someone sitting on a patio chair in the victim’s backyard during that time but didn’t call police, because he looked like he was relaxing there. One witness told police they’d seen the same person before in the neighborhood.

Vehicle break-ins/thefts from vehicle

  • A resident of the 500 block of Hannah Avenue contacted police on Sept. 17 to report the rear license plate had been removed from his vehicle sometime between Sept. 12 and Sept. 15. The vehicle had been parked in a spot that the victim rents behind the building.
  • A resident of the 800 block of Elgin Avenue called police on Sept. 18 to report that someone had broken into her vehicle during the early morning hours. Security camera footage reportedly captured someone inside the vehicle at about 3 a.m.

It was the second time the vehicle had been burglarized, according to the police, and the victim said that after the first incident she’d removed everything of value from the vehicle, except for a diaper bag containing children’s shoes, baby formula, a bottle and some snacks. The bag was missing from the vehicle.

  • A resident of the 800 block of Marengo Avenue called police to report that someone gained entry to her unlocked vehicle during the overnight hours of Sept. 19-20 and removed her wallet, which contained $100 in cash, her driver’s license, gift cards and Social Security card. The victim reported locating the wallet, with only the Social Security card still inside it, in the alley.
  • A 23-year-old Broadview man called police on Sept. 21 to report that someone had broken into his RV, which had been parked for the past month in the lot at Walmart, 1300 block of Desplaines Ave.

The victim said he was last in the RV a week earlier. Entry was gained through a previously broken window. Missing from the vehicle were a microphone, two speakers and a TV.

DUI arrest leads to weapons charge

A 33-year-old Chicago man found passed out behind the wheel of a 2010 Audi sedan in the parking lot of 7-Eleven, 7749 Roosevelt Road, on Sept. 19 at about 5:45 a.m. faces felony DUI and weapons charges.

Police responding to the scene reported finding Hugo V. Gomez unresponsive behind the wheel of his vehicle, which was still running. One of the responding officers observed a handgun in the driver’s door pocket and another retrieved it, finding it to be loaded with a round in the chamber.

After some time, police were able to rouse Gomez, whose driver’s license was revoked due to prior drunken driving arrests. After placing Gomez into custody, he reportedly begin violently kicking at the barred windows and door of the squad car.

In addition to aggravated DUI, Gomez was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Sept. 17-23, 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