Until April 2024: Police reports until April 1, 2024

Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—In early April 2024, a man was driving 70 miles per hour on the Sauk Trail, according to police. In addition to the speeding, police charged him with drunken driving.

Police charged a Flossmoor man with dangerous driving while his license was revoked. Police learned that this man had 11 previous convictions for driving while his license was suspended/revoked. Another man was charged with domestic violence, and a Calumet City man received a ticket for possession of cannabis. Although no arrests were made, per seWe continue to report on cannabis incidents to remind us all that while cannabis is legal, we should not consume it in a vehicle or transport it improperly.

Here is an official FAQ with answers to many questions about cannabis use in Illinois.

Park Forest Police Reports through April 1, 2024

28 March: Driving under difficult conditions despite having your driving license revoked

Police arrested Hurtis J. Bibbs, 42, of Flossmoor on March 28 and charged him with driving under the influence because his license was suspended, he did not have registration on the front of the car, and the windows were tinted more than six inches.

An officer traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail near Minocqua Street saw a gray Toyota Camry traveling westbound on Sauk Trail. As the Toyota passed, the officer noticed the entire windshield was tinted and the vehicle did not have a front-mounted license plate, police said. The time was 12:05 p.m.

According to police, the officer made a U-turn and followed the car westbound on Sauk Trail until he caught up with it as it turned into the inner Sauk Trail mall. The officer turned on his patrol car’s hazard lights and the Camry pulled into a parking lot. The officer ran a computer query and learned the car was registered to Hurtis J. Bibbs.

According to police, an officer from the Richton Park Police Department arrived shortly afterward to assist. The officer, who was following the vehicle, went to the passenger side of the Toyota and spoke with the driver, later identified as Mr. Bibbs.

Driver presents identity card instead of driving license

The officer told Mr. Bibbs the reason for the stop. Mr. Bibbs told the officer that he had a front license plate but had not yet attached it to the front of the vehicle.

The officer asked for a driver’s license and insurance. Mr. Bibbs gave the officer an Illinois identification card. He reportedly told the officer that his driver’s license had been suspended due to previous traffic tickets.

The officer returned to his patrol car and ran another computer query and learned that Mr. Bibbs’ driver’s license had been suspended six times and revoked six times, police said.

The officer returned to the Camry and ordered Mr. Bibbs out of the vehicle, took him into custody, and handcuffed him. He transported Mr. Bibbs to the Park Forest Police Department.

The officer learned that Mr. Bibbs had 11 previous driving convictions and driver’s license suspensions. This occurred when his license was suspended for a violation of 625 ILCS 5/11-501:

Driving under the influence of alcohol, other drugs, intoxicating substances, or a combination thereof.

Source: ilga.gov/legislation

Mr. Bibbs was scheduled to appear in court on March 29, 2024, at the Markham Courthouse.

March 31: Driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding

Police arrested Tristian E. Smith, 36, of Chicago Heights on March 31 and charged him with drunken driving, driving without insurance, illegal transportation of alcohol, suspended registration, expired registration and speeding.

An officer in a vehicle traveling westbound on Sauk Trail at Central Park Avenue saw a black Dodge Durango traveling eastbound on Sauk Trail. Police say the Dodge had its high beams on before approaching the intersection of Sauk Trail and Central Park Avenue. As it approached the officer’s police unit, radar captured the Dodge traveling 70 mph, according to the report.

It was 1:44 am.

Official makes U-turn

The officer made a U-turn on Central Park Avenue and positioned his force behind the Dodge Durango in the left lane heading east on Sauk Trail. According to police, the Durango stopped at a red light on Blackhawk Drive and crossed the solid white line above the crosswalk.

The officer radioed SouthCom Dispatch with the Durango’s license plate number and prepared for a traffic stop. When the light turned green, the Dodge allegedly accelerated and drifted right through the intersection, with the rear passenger-side tires crossing the dashed dividing lines for about a second, police said. The Dodge then swerved sharply to the left back into the left lane, police said.

Police: Car drives on despite blue lights and sirens sounding

According to police, the officer turned on his hazard lights and siren and initiated a traffic stop near the Shell gas station. The vehicle reportedly did not immediately stop at the side of the road.

According to police, the car accelerated from 29 to 52 mph and maintained speed above the 30 mph speed limit. The car slowly moved into the right lane without signaling. It maintained speed between 47 and 52 mph. It continued traveling at approximately 40 mph in the right lane and activated the right turn signal, police said.

The car then reduced speed from 38 to 33 mph and briefly activated its rear brake lights. According to police, the vehicle then stopped in front of a home on Sauk Trail. According to police, this was about 0.43 miles from the Shell gas station.

Report: The driver said he was on his way home and was driving fast.

The officer contacted the driver and sole occupant of the car, Tristian E. Smith. According to police, Mr. Smith told the officer he had left the Red Star Lounge in Matteson and was on his way home, so he was traveling at a high rate of speed.

The officer smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle, police said. Another officer came to help.

The officer who stopped the vehicle went to the driver’s window and asked Mr. Smith to exit the car. He then escorted Mr. Smith to the back of his vehicle, where he arrested him on suspicion of speeding, 40 miles per hour over the speed limit, police said.

According to the report, police found an open green can of tequila cocktail with the flavor Monaco Line Crush inside the car.

According to police, Mr. Smith refused to take a breathalyzer test at the Park Forest police station.

Moving to April 2024

Quote: Possession of Cannabis – April 1, 2024

Police charged Daquari Dodd-Woodland, 27, of Calumet City with possession of cannabis on April 1 when an officer spotted the driver of a black Hyundai not wearing a seatbelt, police said, near Orchard Drive and Illinois Street, according to the report.

After the officer stopped the vehicle, he saw a cup in the center console with a green leafy residue, according to police. The officer asked the driver, Daquari Dodd-Woodland, if there was any cannabis in the car. Mr. Dodd-Woodland gave the officer a plastic bag that contained a green leafy substance, according to police.

This incident involved a city citation or ticket, not an arrest.

April 1, 2024: Household battery

Police arrested Jimmell R. Nash, 25, of Park Forest, on April 1 and charged him with domestic violence. Police responded to a home on Allegheny Street at 4:29 p.m. to investigate a domestic incident.

Police say Mr. Nash grabbed a woman with both arms, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground. An officer who arrived saw a small cut on the alleged victim’s right cheek, according to the report.

Note: For more information on Officer Hanink (pictured above), visit the Park Forest Police Department social media page.

About police reports

Please note that in these reports we repeatedly say “according to police” and often use “allegedly.” We are not in any way alleging that the people arrested and charged by police have committed crimes. We are reporting what is written in the reports provided to us by the police. Since the accused are innocent until proven guilty, the burden of proof for all alleged crimes lies with prosecutors and police.

eNews Park Forest has continuously published the addresses of those arrested and will continue to do so. 5 ILCS 140/2.15 states that the government agency (in these reports, the police department) must publish information about the accused, including name, age and address. This information is required to ensure the identity of the arrested.

Presumption of innocence

An arrest does not mean a person is guilty. The law presumes that all persons arrested by police are innocent until proven guilty. It is eNews Park Forest’s policy not to remove any public record entries from publication. Suppose you find your name in the police reports. Our policy is that we only add information that is relevant to the final disposition of the case at hand, such as “Mr. Smith was later acquitted,” “Mr. Smith made a confession,” or “All charges against Mr. Smith were later dropped.” We will do so after we receive and review evidence of such a decision.

We do not cross out, retract, or delete messages.

According to police, all incidents in this report were recorded by officers at the scene using body-worn and dashboard-mounted cameras. All Park Forest Police officers wear body-worn cameras. Officers typically abbreviate these devices as BWC in reports.

Individuals wishing to leave anonymous information regarding crimes, including drug or gang-related crimes, are asked to call the Park Forest Police Department’s Investigations Division at (708) 748-1309.