A 15-year-old North Riverside boy has been charged with fleeing and eluding police after an officer attempted to make a traffic stop on Lawton Road near Cowley Road in Riverside just before 9 p.m. on March 25.
According to police, the boy was driving a silver Honda Civic at 42 mph in a 25 mph zone. When the officer attempted to make the stop, the car reportedly accelerated to 60 mph and stopped on East Quincy Street. Four people jumped out of the car and ran north, over the railroad tracks, across East Burlington Street and through yards in eluding police.
Police traced the driver to his mother, to whom the car was registered. Police took him into custody later that night. The youth was also cited for speeding, having no valid driver’s license and having no insurance.
Vehicle theft
A white 1998 Chevy Suburban was stolen from a driveway in the 4300 block of Maple Avenue, Brookfield, sometime between 6:30 p.m. on March 24 and 5 a.m. on March 25, according to police.
Brookfield police received a call from Summit police just after 5 a.m. on March 25 saying they had located the vehicle, which had its steering column stripped, in their town. They had also a subject in custody.
Brookfield police contacted the owner of the vehicle, who stated he last saw the car parked in his driveway the previous evening and had not given permission for anyone to use the car.
DUI
A Glendale Heights man charged last week with his third DUI offense faces three felony charges after Brookfield police found him passed out and slumped over the wheel of his car in the 3200 block of Sunnyside Avenue.
Police were called to the block at 4:42 a.m. on March 28 to investigate loud music and a horn blaring from a car parked on the street. Police arrived to find Juan F. Calahorrano-Flores, 45, slumped over the wheel of his 2008 Toyota, which was running, and a 16-ounce can of beer in the cup holder of the center console.
The officer took the keys out of the ignition and then woke up the driver, who appeared intoxicated.
A subsequent breath test reportedly showed Calahorrano-Flores’ blood-alcohol to be .170, which is over twice the legal limit of .08.
The Cook County State’s Attorney approved three felonies. Two were felony DUI charges, one for the driver’s third offense and one for driving on a revoked license. He was also charged with a felony count of driving while revoked.
Francisco Velazquez Orozco, 29, of Chicago was charged with two counts of felony DUI after police stopped him in the 9000 block of 31st Street, Brookfield, at 8 p.m. on March 29.
Police received a call from a witness who stated Orozco’s 2001 Chevy pickup was headed southbound on Maple Avenue from Cermak Road, crossing numerous times into oncoming traffic.
A Brookfield police officer stated he observed the driver of the vehicle exit a gas station at Maple Avenue and 31st Street, get into his car and head east on 31st Street, crossing all four lanes of traffic before striking the south curb.
After reportedly crossing into the westbound lane of traffic, the driver was pulled over by police, who took him into custody.
In addition to two felony DUI charges, he was cited for several traffic offenses, including illegal transportation of open alcohol.
Chicago resident Fernando Pineda, 20, faces a felony charge of DUI after he was stopped for speeding and driving with only one headlight while southbound on Harlem Avenue at York Road in Riverside just after 4:30 a.m. on March 30.
According to police, Pineda was going 53 mph in a 35 mph zone. During the stop, the officer reported seeing several beer cans from an open case of beer on the car seat. After failing field sobriety tests, a breath test reportedly showed Pineda’s blood-alcohol level to be .152, which is nearly twice the legal limit.
The DUI was upgraded to felony status since Pineda did not possess a valid driver’s license or insurance, police said.
Riverside police charged Summit resident Martha Torres, 32, with DUI after an officer reported seeing her Pontiac swerve over the double yellow line twice and hit 53 mph in a 35 mph zone while southbound on Harlem Avenue from Shenstone Road on March 31 at 1 a.m.
According to police, Torres presented a Mexican driver’s license during the stop and appeared intoxicated. She reportedly failed field sobriety tests and had a blood-alcohol level of .191, which is over twice the legal limit.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office upgraded the charge to a felony since Torres does not possess a valid driver’s license.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside and Brookfield police departments from March 24 through March 31 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. The cases have not been adjudicated.
-compiled by Bob Uphues