The Elmhurst Police Department recently reported the following arrests and citations. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that subjects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Juveniles age 17-or-younger are not named.
Criminal damage or defacement to property/criminal damage to a vehicle
Aug. 20
Police said officers responded for a domestic where the victim’s ex-boyfriend was in the residence and would not leave. Upon arrival, officers located John M. Plusa, 38, of Chicago. It was learned that he had gone through the victim’s vehicle, according to police. He was charged with criminal trespass to property and criminal trespass to a vehicle.
Aug. 18
A complainant at a car dealership in the 100 block of W. Diversey told police at around 10:09 p.m. that a window to the building was broken sometime during the evening.
Aug. 17-Aug. 18
Victims in the 400 block of E. Adams told police they noticed both valve stem covers on the driver’s side tires of their vehicle had been taken between the above dates. Both tires were completely flat and unable to be driven.
Criminal damage
Aug. 22-Aug. 23
A victim in the 400 block of E. May St. told police that sometime between the above dates, she believes the chaise lounge chair in her backyard was intentionally cut with a “z” pattern where the small of one’s back would rest.
Aug. 16-Aug. 23
A complainant in the 300 block of W. Lake told police that three of his employees’ vehicles were damaged while parked in the lot between the above dates. The cars appear to have been scratched by an unknown object.
Disorderly conduct, disturbance, trespass notice
Aug. 22
Police said that subsequent to a check on the well-being of someone near York and the Prairie Path at around 6:04 p.m., Jorie Vandermolen, 29, of Elmhurst, was found lying in the brush along the Prairie Path and was highly intoxicated. According to police, when attempting to assist Vandermolen, she became combative, attempting to pull away from officers. Vandermolen then spit on a victim, police said. She was cited for disorderly conduct/public intoxication and battery.
Aug. 18
A victim in the 200 block of W. Butterfield told police at around 11:33 a.m. that a suspect at her place of employment and began yelling at her. The victim asked the suspect to leave and he again began yelling and cursing at her. The suspect was subsequently given a no trespass order and released at the scene.
Domestic incident, domestic battery
Aug. 20
Police said officers responded to the report of a domestic in the 400 block of S. Scott at around 1:38 a.m. Upon arrival, the suspect stated they had a verbal argument and she slapped the victim. But the suspect stated the victim slapped her back in retaliation. The victim stated they had an argument but it was never physical. No complaints were signed due to conflicting stories and no visible signs of injury.
Aug. 18
A victim in the 100 block of S. Linden told police at around 11:54 a.m. that he had gotten into a verbal argument with the suspect, who reportedly attempted to grab the phone out of the victim’s hand and then grabbed his hand, bending his finger back and elbowing him in the ear. The suspect, a 19-year-old Elmhurst woman, was charged with domestic battery and unlawful interference with the reporting of domestic violence.
DUI, DUI-drugs, illegal consumption or possession of alcohol by a minor, illegal transportation of open alcohol, illegal possession of open alcohol, possession of a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance
Aug. 23
Tracy Whalen, 36, of Northlake, was charged with DUI-drugs, violation of bail bond and making an improper turn subsequent to a report of a DUI driver with the complainant following near Grand and Crown at around 8:07 p.m. Police said Whalen was located and a traffic stop was performed after an improper turn was observed.
Aug. 20
Mario Perez Avila, 49, of Roselle, was charged with DUI, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and improper lane usage subsequent to an accident near Route 83 and Riverside at around 1:55 a.m.
Aug. 19
• Police said a reporting officer responded to the report of a person who was asleep at the wheel near Route 83 and St. Charles at around 10:14 p.m. Officers located Otis Luckey, 35, of Willowbrook, who was intoxicated, according to police. Police said he admitted to consuming alcohol and taking tramadol (a prescription pain killer). Luckey was charged with DUI.
• Jose Rodriguez, 54, of Addison, was charged with DUI and illegal transportation of alcohol subsequent to a roadside safety check near Lake and Walnut at around 1:40 a.m.
• Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near North and Route 83 at around 1:44 a.m., Marie Zmich, 56, of Hanover Park, was found to be under the influence of narcotics. Zmich was charged with DUI drugs and disobeying a traffic signal.
• Police said that subsequent to a call of a suspicious person near York and Orchard at around 5:20 a.m., a juvenile suspect was found to have a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. The suspect was cited for consumption of alcohol by a minor and violation of curfew.
Aug. 17
Tony Pernell, 40, of Matteson, was charged with DUI and driving without headlights subsequent to a traffic stop near Grand and York at around 1:22 a.m.
Failure to give information
Aug. 18
Police said Pascal G. Scala, 70, of Berwyn, was cited for failure to give information at an accident involving vehicle damage, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, driving while license suspended and no insurance near North and York at around 10:24 a.m.
Fugitive from justice
Aug. 17
Police said that subsequent to investigating a bicycle equipment violation near St. Charles and Poplar at around 1:14 a.m., a reporting officer made contact with Erik Delgado, 34, of Glendale Heights, who provided a false name and date of birth. Delgado was found to have three warrants out of Cameron, Texas, according to police. He was charged with being a fugitive from justice, obstructing identification and operating a bicycle without proper lighting.
Harassment, threats
Aug. 23
A victim at shoe store in the 100 block of S. Route 83 told police at around 5:30 p.m. that a suspect was upset because his gift card was deactivated. The suspect then threatened the victim and left the store. The suspect was identified, contact was attempted and a voice message was left. The store’s general manager would like to sign a no-trespass notice if the suspect is located.
Possession of cannabis, drug paraphernalia, controlled substance
Aug. 19
Alfredo Mendoza, 24, of Melrose Park, was cited for possession of cannabis subsequent to a roadside safety check near Lake and Walnut at around 1:55 a.m.
Aug. 18
• Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near York and Grand at around 8:33 p.m., a search of a vehicle yielded cannabis and drug paraphernalia. Jose Galeana, 35, of Bensenville, was charged with possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, no valid driver’s license, no insurance and driving with only one headlight.
• Police said that subsequent to observing Brandon Ivory, 31, of Westchester, and Patrick Smith, 32, of Bellwood, passing what appeared to be a cannabis joint, the reporting officer made contact with both suspects. According to police, Ivory was holding a rolled cannabis blunt in his left hand and tried to discard it. Smith and Ivory were each issued citations for possession of cannabis and possession of open liquor in public.
• Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near Lake and I-290 at around 9:16 p.m., David Vallez, 39, of West Liberty, Iowa, was found to be in possession of cannabis and a glass smoking pipe. He was cited for possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to signal.
• Police said that subsequent to a roadside safety check near Lake and Walnut at around 11:49 p.m., Jorge Zamora-Flores, 35, of Glendale Heights, was found to be driving while license revoked and in possession of cocaine. He was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and driving while license revoked.
Aug. 17
• Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near I-88 and Route 83 at around 12:38 p.m., Kelly Degand, 39, of Lisle, was found to have a valid warrant out of DuPage County. Michael Przybyla, 42, also of Lisle who was a passenger in the vehicle, was found to be in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia, according to police. Degand was issued citations for speeding and following too closely. Przybyla was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Ashley Grigsby, 32, of Streamwood, was issued a citation for possession of cannabis and a defective windshield subsequent to a traffic stop near I-290 and Route 83 at around 11:13 a.m.
• Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near I-290 and Route 83 at around 3:31 p.m., James V. Leone, 59, of Hanover Park, and Kevin Trudel, 57, of Schaumburg, were found to be in possession of heroin and cocaine. Both were charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance; Trudel was additionally charged for not wearing a seat belt.
• Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop and observing a hand-to-hand drug transaction near I-88 and Route 83 at around 1:06 p.m., Adam Meade, 36, of Newark, was found to be DUI as well as in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia, as well as a cut straw with a white, powdery residue. Richard Villareal, 27, of Bolingbrook, was found to be in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia, according to police. Meade was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, DUI-drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, speeding and improper lane usage. Villareal was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Recovered stolen auto
Aug. 17
Police said a reporting officer in the 100 block of W. Third St. observed a vehicle at the above location with all four doors open and a suspect walking around the vehicle at around 11:39 p.m. Upon conducting a computer inquiry on the vehicle’s registration, it was learned the vehicle was stolen out of Joliet. The suspect was placed into custody and transported to the police station where he was later released to the custody of the Joliet Police Department.
Theft/burglary/attempted theft or burglary/identity theft/fraud/forgery/deceptive practice/obstruction/robbery
Aug. 22
• A victim in the 100 block of N. York told police at around 10:04 a.m. that her wallet was stolen after she accidentally left it at a bank in the above location. Three of her six credit cards were used prior to her canceling them.
• A complainant at a coffee shop in the 600 block of W. North told police at around 7:57 p.m. that they received a counterfeit $50 bill earlier in day. The suspect is described as a black male, between 20 and 30 years of age, 5’8” with a heavy build and three teardrop tattoos.
Aug. 21
• A complainant at a gas station in the 500 block of S. York told police at around 8:10 a.m. that a suspect described as a white female with a medium build and light hair pumped $38.19 worth of gas from Pump 1. When finished, she contacted the attendant and advised her credit card was not being charged and she was not going to re-submit it into the pump a second time and be charged twice. The suspect then left the area southbound on York Road.
• Officers responded to the report of a stolen vehicle taken in an armed vehicular hijacking out of Chicago after it was electronically tracked to the area of York and Lake at around 2:54 p.m. The vehicle was located in the Thornton’s parking lot. A reporting officer ordered the driver to turn the vehicle off. The vehicle then fled over the parkway and went eastbound in the westbound lanes of Lake Street. The vehicle was last seen eastbound on I-290 passing North Avenue.
• A victim in the 500 block of S. Cambridge told police at around 8:36 p.m. that he received a Lowe’s credit card and a Target Red card in the mail that he did not apply for. Both credit cards have been cancelled.
Aug. 20-Aug. 21
• A victim in the 100 block of Lawndale told police at around 9:48 a.m. that an unknown suspect(s) entered his unlocked garage through a detached side access door. Contents of both vehicles were spread throughout the inside of the vehicles; however the only thing missing is an unknown amount of change from the cup holder in the center console.
• A victim in the 100 block of N. Pine St. told police that an unknown suspect(s) entered her vehicle between the above dates and removed her purse containing many miscellaneous items.
Aug. 20
Police said officers responded to the report of a retail theft at a pharmacy in the 100 block of W. North where the suspect, Kurt A. McKenzie, 42, of Chicago, fled on foot while carrying bottles of alcohol. According to police, McKenzie was apprehended and the stolen items were recovered by the K-9 unit on a different street. During the search, police said McKenzie had syringes and a heroin cooker on his person. He was charged with felony retail theft, obstructing identification and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Aug. 19-Aug. 20
A victim in the 200 block of Geneva told police that he rented a U-Haul truck with a metal dolly in the back that was zip-tied to the side of the truck. Once the victim finished moving, the metal dolly was placed back inside the truck but he was unable to secure the door with the padlock due to it not closing and locking. The victim noticed the dolly was missing the next morning.
Aug. 19
A victim in the 100 block of S. Prospect told police at around 10:54 a.m. that her wallet was stolen from her unlocked vehicle while she attended the carnival in town. The victim stated that she placed her purse on the passenger floor in front of the seat, rolled up the windows, but did not lock the doors.
Aug. 18
A complainant at a landscaping company told police at around 1:29 p.m. that an unknown suspect(s) removed an orange backpack leaf blower from the bed of his truck while he was mowing a customer’s lawn.
Aug. 17
• A victim at an apartment complex in the 200 block of N. York told police at around 12:06 p.m. that she received an e-mail from Mesirow Financial alerting her to what was believed to be a fraudulent request for a wire transfer from Mesirow Financial to Bank of America. The wire transfer was not authorized. The victim believes her e-mail had been compromised, allowing the unknown suspect to access the financial information.
• Theft was reported in the 200 block of W. Fremont at around 6:32 p.m. A victim told police that UPS delivered a package to her front porch and when she returned home, the box was gone.
• Retail theft was reported at a grocery store in the 100 block of E. Schiller at around 6:55 p.m. Police said that subsequent to a report of a retail theft just occurred, a complainant advised that a suspect described as a black male around 5’9”, 150 pounds, with a beard, wearing a white shirt, cut-off black jeans and a hat, walked up to the checkout lane with a full shopping cart. Once all the items were scanned, the suspect reportedly grabbed the alcohol and left the store. The area was checked for the suspect with no results.
Aug. 13
A victim in the 600 block of S. Mitchell told police at around 2:47 p.m. that an unknown suspect(s) have ordered three separate shipments of cosmetic products and charged it to victim’s credit card.
Jan. 1, 2015-Aug. 15
A victim in the 800 block of S. Mitchell told police that while completing the paperwork for a home equity loan, she was advised that her credit report showed that she was listed in collections for an outstanding Comcast bill. The victim related she has never had service with Comcast, which confirmed there was no account in her name.
Sept. 1, 2016-July 31
A victim in the 400 block of W. Butterfield told police that her wedding ring and three other miscellaneous rings were missing from her apartment. The victim last saw the rings sometime in September of 2016.
July 29
Identity theft was reported in the 100 block of W. Butterfield at around 3:23 p.m. A victim told police that an unknown suspect(s) opened a DIRECTV account in his name and he received a bill stating he owed $213.20. The victim contacted DIRECTV and the account has been closed.
More crime news…
Driver reportedly sprays victim’s car with orange solution
Battery was reported on Aug. 21 after a reporting officer responded for a criminal damage to a vehicle report which just occurred near Brush Hill and Elm Creek at around 8:17 a.m. Upon arrival, a victim told police he was eastbound on Brush Hill when a suspect started honking his horn at him. He then pulled next to the victim and sprayed an orange solution from a black canister at him. The suspect was located and was released without charges pending further investigation.
Suspect allegedly grabs 15-year-old; police seek security footage
Battery was reported on Aug. 20 when police said officers responded to a call of an older male who allegedly grabbed the buttocks of a 15-year-old female at a store in the 600 block of N. York at around 4:45 p.m. and left the area. The suspect was later located and denied grabbing her. He stated he bumped into her when he was not paying attention and apologized when it happened. The suspect was released pending review of the store security footage.
For second time, street lights painted over
On Aug. 21 criminal damage was reported by the Elmhurst Public Works Department at around 10:07 a.m. that two plastic lens covers for the street light in the 100 block of Fellows had been painted over. They stated approximately one month earlier the lenses were also painted over. Further investigation is pending.
Two women fail to foot bill following pedicure
Theft of services was reported on Aug. 23 when an employee at a nail salon in the 600 block of W. North told police that at around 7:59 p.m., two suspects described as black females had her do a pedicure for them. The credit card given for payment was declined. One of the suspects exited the store, entered a red Jeep Grand Cherokee and exited the parking lot onto River Glen. Approximately five minutes later, the other suspect exited the store, got into the Jeep, and the vehicle left westbound on North Avenue. One suspect was described as being around 5’8” to 5’10”, approximately 25 years old, wearing black yoga pants and a black/blue athletic top. The second suspect was described as being around 5’8” to 5’10”, approximately 25 years old wearing faded blue jean shorts with holes in them.
