The Elmhurst Police Department recently reported the following arrests and citations. Persons charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the privacy of victims. 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 trespass, criminal damage to property
Oct. 12-Oct. 13
A custodian from the Elmhurst Police Library directed an officer to a damaged sign at the entrance to the library located on Cottage Hill Ave. The “Elmhurst Public Library” sign weighs several hundred pounds and appears to have been knocked over intentionally sometime between the above dates.
Oct. 12
A park district employee told police at around 8:46 p.m. that the sink in the women’s bathroom at Berens Park on the 400 block of Oaklawn had been broken off of the wall. A neighbor’s video surveillance shows a group of teens entering and exiting the men’s and women’s bathrooms.
Domestic battery, domestic incident, disorderly conduct
Oct. 16
India Bunch, 39, of Hillside, was issued a citation for disorderly conduct/breaching the peace in the 900 block of S. York at around 6:39 p.m. Police said Bunch confronted a victim at his place of work on his lunch break because she thought her Ray-Ban prescription glasses were in his car. Bunch allegedly kicked the rear bumper of the victim’s vehicle but did not cause any damage.
A 31-year-old Lombard woman was charged with domestic battery in the 400 block of W. Lake at around 6:20 p.m. According to police, a victim said he located his wife in their vehicle parked at the above location with an unknown male. The victim got out and approached the suspect when the suspect attempted to drive away, allegedly striking the victim in the arm.
Cassandra Huffman, 49, of Elmhurst, was issued citations for disorderly conduct/public intoxication, pedestrian under the influence and possession of alcohol in public near North and West at around 1:18 a.m. Police said Huffman was found walking in the roadway, intoxicated, yelling profanities and unable to care for herself.
Oct. 14
Police said officers responded to an area near West and Utley for the report of a man with a gun at around 3:19 p.m. A search of the suspect’s vehicle yielded an air soft replica M1911 handgun and .22 grams of cannabis. Suspects were detained and transported to the police station for questioning. One of the suspects admitted to possessing the air soft gun and shooting it at another vehicle, police said. The suspect was issued citations for disorderly conduct, possession of an air rifle by a minor and possession of cannabis. The second suspect was issued citations for disorderly conduct and possession of an air rifle by a minor.
Oct. 12
An 18-year-old Elmhurst man was charged with domestic battery in the 700 block of N. Kenilworth at around 4 p.m. Police said the victim had visible red marks.
Police said officers responded to Elmhurst Hospital at around 1:20 a.m. for a report of an intoxicated patient threatening hospital staff. The suspect told police he did not mean what he said and had no intention of harming the staff. The complainant did not wish to pursue charges. The suspect was issued a no trespass notice and was released from the hospital’s care.
DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol, open alcohol in public, consumption of alcohol by a minor, public intoxication
Oct. 13
Wilmer L. Vaszuez, 24, of Bensenville, was charged with DUI, no valid driver’s license, improper lane usage, illegal transportation of alcohol and failure to signal when required subsequent to a traffic stop near North and Route 83 at around 3:30 a.m.
Oct. 11
Neil Eidel, 58, of Phoenix, Ariz., was charged with DUI, failure to signal when required, improper turn and improper lane usage subsequent to a traffic stop near St. Charles and Fair at around 11:51 p.m.
Possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of a controlled substance
Oct. 16
A juvenile suspect was issued citations for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia at York High School at around 1:46 p.m. Police said the suspect was found to be using a vape device in the bathroom, and was taken to the dean’s office, where his vaping device containing THC oil fell out of his pocket.
Oct. 14
Alicia J. McGee, 22, of Melrose Park, was charged two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, no insurance and improper lighting subsequent to a traffic stop near North and Indiana at around 11:41 p.m. Police said McGee was found to be in possession of cocaine and
Suspicious circumstances
Oct. 11
A complainant in the 600 block of S. Fairfield told police at around 3:39 p.m. that his Ring doorbell alerted him of an unknown subject on his front porch. The video surveillance shows the suspect opening the screen door and entering an enclosed area of the home that contained only shoes. The subject did not attempt to open the home’s front door and the video did not show the suspect leave the residence. The complainant told police that noting appears to be missing from the residence. The suspect was described as a white male around 5’9”, 165 pounds, with medium length hair wearing a dark long-sleeved half-zip sweater, light-colored shorts, black shoes and white laces.
Theft/burglary/attempted theft or burglary/identity theft/fraud/forgery/deceptive practice/obstruction/robbery
Oct. 16
Isaac Underwood, 27, of Chicago, was charged with theft near a pharmacy in the 200 block of N. York at around 12:03 a.m.
Oct. 15
Rosanna J. Ruffolo, 37, of Elmwood Park, was attempted retail theft, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a hypodermic needle at a store in the 100 block of E. Schiller at around 11:19 a.m. Police said the suspect attempted to steal liquor from the store and was found to be in possession of a hypodermic needle and cocaine.
A victim in the 400 block of N. York told police at around 7:12 p.m. that he thought he won a contest and provided his credit card information over the phone to an unknown suspect. When the victim realized this was fraudulent, he called the police. The officer advised the victim to cancel his credit card; no loss has been recorded at this time.
Oct. 14-Oct. 15
Theft was reported in the 800 block of N. Larch. A victim told police she received two emails on her work account from an unknown suspect who purported to be the owner of the company. The email directed the victim to purchase eBay gift cards and supply information to the suspect via email. The victim complied with the request. As of the above dates, the victim has sent the suspect $2,000 worth of gift cards.
Oct. 13
Police said a victim arrived at a car wash in the 900 block of N. York at around 5:22 p.m. and was approached by two suspects who offered to fix scratches on the rear bumper of his vehicle for $200. The victim declined the offer. After driving through the car wash, the suspects approached the victim again. They walked around his vehicle and pointed out a scratch on the passenger door. The victim believes the suspects intentionally caused this damage. They sprayed an unknown substance on the victim’s vehicle and requested $200. The victim refused to pay and called 9-1-1. The suspects left the scene. An officer observed a 10-inch long scratch on the passenger door. There were no signs of damage from the product that was sprayed. One suspect was described as an Hispanic male in his 30s, 5’7”, 150 pounds with short black hair, bad acne and wearing a green hoodie and cargo pants. The second suspect was described as an Hispanic male around 35 years old, 6-foot tall and 220 pounds with short black hair and wearing a blue hoodie and cargo pants. In a related incident, police said that while a victim was driving south on York near Diversey at around 5:47 p.m., the victim was waved down by two suspects and the victim and suspects pulled over. One of the suspects stated he worked for a car dealership in Westmont and he could remove the existing scratches from the victim’s vehicle. The other suspect began rubbing an unknown substance on the victim’s vehicle and stated the victim owed them $1,500. The victim got into his vehicle, drove away and called 9-1-1. A reporting officer observed a white filmy substance all along the vehicle. It is unknown if the substance will leave permanent damage. One suspect was described as an Hispanic male between 30 and 40 years old with a thin build, facial hair and wearing a green jacket. The second suspect was described as an Hispanic male between 30 and 40 years old, heavy set, with facial hair and wearing a long-sleeve gray shirt and a dark blue shirt.
Oct. 11-Oct. 12
Theft of vehicle parts was reported in the 400 block of W. St. Charles. Police said an unknown suspect used an unknown type of saw to remove the catalytic converter on a victim’s vehicle sometime between the above dates.
Aug. 31-Oct. 12
Theft by deception was reported in the 700 block of W. Alexander between the above dates. A victim told police that she was in an online relationship with an unknown suspect. During the course of the online communications, the victim sent the suspect currency and nude images of herself. When the victim refused to send additional funds to the suspect, he attempted to extort the victim by threatening to publicize the images.
Oct. 2-Oct. 11
Theft was reported at a business in the 100 block of N. York. A complainant told police that a former employee failed to return company property after terminating her employment between the above dates. The reporting officer contacted the suspect, who stated she previously disposed of the property in anger. Charges are pending.
Oct. 10
Burglary to a vehicle was reported in the 100 block of W. Park at around 5:39 p.m. A reporting officer spoke to the victim, who stated that an unknown suspect entered her unlocked vehicle and removed her property. The case is pending investigation.
Aug. 31-Oct. 10
Forgery was reported at a car dealership in the 500 block of W. Lake between the above dates. The dealership was alerted by US Bank of possible fraudulent activity with a refund check they had issued. The check amount, date and the original “pay to the order of” had been altered. And investigation is pending.
April 25-Oct. 10
A vehicle was reported stolen from a rent a car company in the 800 block of N. York. A complainant stated that the suspect had rented a vehicle that has not been returned to the branch. The complainant has made multiple attempts to retrieve the vehicle between the above dates with no results.
Oct. 9
Ionut Valentin Batausu, 38, of Chicago, was charged with felony possession of an unlawful fictitious identification card at a gas station in the 500 block of S. York at around 7:45 p.m. Police said that upon arrival, Batausu provided officers with a false name, was in possession of several Visa gift cards, and cash. A second unnamed suspect was in possession of alcohol and a stun gun, according to police. Further investigation is pending.
Warrant arrest
Oct. 16
Police said Eric W. Eichinger, 38, of Elmhurst, had a warrant out of DuPage County in the 200 block of Illinois at around 4:29 p.m.
Oct. 13
Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near Industrial and Grand at around 12:45 a.m., Alexis Olea, 24, of Bensenville, was found to have a valid warrant from the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. Olea also was issued citations for no valid driver’s license, no insurance and speeding.
