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.
Battery
Dec. 28
James S. Magro, 30, of Lisle, was charged with battery in the 300 block of W. Grand at around 12:07 p.m. A victim told police that while he was driving, Magro, who was in front of him, would allegedly stop and yell from his vehicle asking the victim to fight. In an attempt to avoid contact, the victim tried to drive away, but the suspect allegedly followed him to a car dealership, exited his vehicle, approached the victim and pushed the victim back, according to police. Police said Magro attempted to strike the victim several times. According to police, Magro came to the police station on the above date.
Dec. 24
Victor H. Hernandez-Garcia, 25, of Bensenville, was charged with battery in the 100 block of S. York at around 11:16 p.m. A victim told police that while saying goodbye and wishing her coworker a Merry Christmas, the suspect requested a hug, according to police. The victim reluctantly gave the suspect a hug. The suspect, police said, forcefully pulled the victim in, kissed her and bit her upper lip. Officers spoke with the suspect, whom police said admitted to kissing and biting the victim after she attempted to pull away.
Criminal damage, criminal defacement, criminal trespass
Jan. 1
Steven M. Halka, 22, of Elmhurst, was charged with criminal trespass to a motor vehicle near Schiller and York at around 12:32 a.m.
Dec. 29
A victim in the 100 block of E. Schiller told police at around 7:56 p.m. that while his Jeep was parked in the Schiller parking deck, an unknown suspect(s) used black marker to write profanity on its passenger side window. The victim was able to remove the graffiti.
Domestic battery, domestic incident, disorderly conduct, disturbance
Dec. 30
Michael C. Wright, 34, of Villa Park, was charged with disorderly conduct and theft in the 100 block of S. Route 83 at around 9:58 a.m. Complainants told police that Wright allegedly yelled at, and threatened, employees and customers. According to police, Wright was found to be in possession of a stolen package.
Dec. 27
A 47-year-old man from Harvey was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 800 block of S. Route 83 at around 10:16 a.m. The complainant, who is an employee at the above location, called 911, stating there was a suspect described as a black male who was repeatedly hitting a female in the front seat of his car. Both parties told police there had been a verbal argument, but nothing physical had happened. After reviewing video surveillance, the suspect was placed under arrest.
Dec. 26
Officers responded to the 300 block of W. North at around 8:23 p.m. for the report of a physical domestic where the suspect reportedly punched a victim in the face. The suspect was not on the scene when officers arrived. The victim told police that she and the suspect had a verbal argument, nothing physical took place and she did not want to pursue charges. A reporting officer spoke with the suspect who related that he and the victim were involved in a verbal argument and the victim slapped him on the right triceps. Due to conflicting statements and no visible injuries, no arrests were made.
DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol, open alcohol in public, consumption of alcohol by a minor, public intoxication
Jan. 1
Michael A. Guzman-Andrad, 18, of Addison, was charged with zero tolerance DUI, consumption of alcohol by a minor, speeding, failure to dim headlights and failure to signal subsequent to a traffic stop near York and North at around 3:13 a.m.
Josue Hernandez, 25, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, aggravated driving while license revoked, possession of cannabis in a vehicle, and improper lane usage subsequent to a traffic stop near I-290 and York at around 3:48 a.m.
Dec. 31
Courtney L. Davis, 38, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, possession of open alcohol in a vehicle, possession of cannabis, failure to signal and no seat belt subsequent to a traffic stop near Grand and Lake at around 11:16 p.m.
Dec. 28
Maira A. Casilla, 32, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, endangering the life of a child, speeding and failure to signal when required subsequent to a traffic stop near North and West at around 1:41 a.m.
Harassment, threats
Jan. 1
Police said officers responded to the 200 block of E. Columbia at around 7:05 p.m. for a report of a telephone threat. A complainant told police she received a phone call from an unknown suspect who stated that someone hit his car and left her phone number on the windshield. After the complainant stated she was not involved, the suspect threatened to “get her.” The complainant hung up and called 911. A reporting officer attempted to contact the suspect but was unsuccessful.
Possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of a substance
Dec. 30
Elizabeth Gonzalez, 29, of Chicago, was issued citations for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia subsequent to a traffic stop near Butterfield and York at around 2:26 a.m.
Suspicious circumstances
Jan. 1
Officers responded to the report of a disturbance at an establishment in the 100 block of N. Addison at around 2:18 a.m. Upon arrival, officers learned that the subjects were asked to leave the establishment and were reluctant to do so. The complainant escorted the subjects out of the establishment where a physical altercation occurred between the parties. There were no injuries, and the subjects were released at the scene.
Dec. 31
A complainant in the 500 block of Fern told police that he observed a suspect describe as a black male, between 18 and 25 years old, around five feet, 11 inches, 165 pounds, wearing a dark slim winter coat with its hood up, approach his vehicle and attempt to open the rear passenger door. The complainant shouted at the subject who subsequently ran across the street and through a neighbor’s back yard. The complainant advised that nothing was missing from his vehicle. Officers checked the surrounding area and no vehicles appeared to have been burglarized.
Theft/burglary/attempted theft or burglary/identity theft/fraud/forgery/deceptive practice/obstruction/robbery
Dec. 30
Retail theft was reported at a store in the 900 block of S. York at around 8:51 a.m. A complainant told police that three suspects loaded two grocery carts with cases of alcoholic beverages and exited the store without paying for the merchandise. Police said the suspects entered a silver SUV and fled the scene with the stolen merchandise. An investigation is pending.
Theft was reported in the 400 block of W. Lake at around 11:10 a.m. A complainant told police that after paying his service bill, he lost his wallet containing his driver’s license, credit cards and $500 in cash. Surveillance video shows the victim unknowingly dropped his wallet in the parking lot, and the suspect picked up the wallet and concealed it in his pocket.
Dec. 29-Dec. 30
Identity theft and burglary to a vehicle were reported in the 500 block of S. Cedar. A victim told police that an unknown suspect entered her unlocked vehicle and stole multiple credit cards and her driver’s license from her wallet, which she left on the center floorboard. The victim later discovered fraudulent transactions totaling $746.84 on her credit cards. An investigation is pending.
Dec. 29
Retail theft was reported at a store in the 600 block of N. York at around 1:53 p.m. The store’s loss prevention checked video footage that showed two suspects entering the store, filling a shopping cart with 24 bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey and 36 bottles of Woodford Reserve bourbon and leaving the store without paying for the merchandise.
Dec. 28
Police said an officer responded to a burglar alarm at a car dealership in the 500 block of W. Lake at around 2:50 a.m. The key holder arrived and located a broken service window behind the fenced area. Video footage shows at around 2:04 a.m., four suspects described as black males, medium build, between the ages of 18 and 20, broke the window of the south service door. One suspect apparently entered through the broken window and opened the side door for the others. They attempted to enter and start vehicles. They left after being in the building for approximately one minute without removing any items or vehicles.
Theft was reported in the 1-100 block of Elm Creek at around 9:33 p.m. A victim told police that while taking items out of her trunk, she left her purse sitting inside the open trunk and went up to her apartment. When she returned, her purse was missing. The purse contained her cell phone, Illinois driver’s license, several credit cards, gift cards and other miscellaneous items.
Dec. 21-Dec. 28
Burglary was reported in the 600 block of N. Michigan. A victim told police that while on vacation, an unknown suspect(s) entered his attached garage sometime between the above dates and removed a hammer, drill and miter saw. Also missing was miscellaneous change from his Lexus IS300 that was parked in the garage. The miter saw was entered into LEADS as stolen.
Dec. 27
Melvin Lofton, 33, of Bellwood, was charged with burglary, two counts of identity theft, possession of a fraudulent ID and obstructing in the 900 block of S. York at around 12:10 p.m. Police said that subsequent to an identity theft in progress, Lofton was attempted to open a checking account with false identification. Lofton was located in the bank and fled from officers, according to police.
A reporting officer observed a red Dodge Challenger pull into a bank in the 300 block of S. Route 83 with dark tinted windows and no front registration plate displayed. An inquiry on the vehicle revealed the owner had a suspended driver’s license and a warrant out of Georgia. Contact was made with the suspect, who was taken into custody for a traffic violation. An inventory of the suspect’s vehicle yielded five checks, which are suspected to be fraudulent and/or forged. The suspect was released without charges pending further investigation. The suspect’s two cell phones were seized, pending the approval of a search warrant.
Identity theft was reported in the 300 block of S. West at around 6:15 p.m. A victim told police that an unknown suspect(s) had made several unauthorized transactions on three separate credit cards. The charges totaled more than $1,000.
Dec. 23-Dec. 27
Theft of vehicle parts was reported at a car dealership sometime between the above dates. The complainant, manager of the dealership, told police that an unknown suspect(s) removed the rear wheels from two Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles that were parked in the lot.
Dec. 16
Identity theft was reported in the 200 block of E. Wilson at around 2:09 p.m. A victim told police that an unknown suspect used his personal information to apply for a Home Depot credit card. The application was denied and the victim is not out of any money. An investigation is pending.
Nov. 19
Forgery was reported at a bank in the 300 block of S. Route 83 at around 5:32 p.m. Police said that subsequent to a suspicious person at the bank, a complainant related that a male subject was standing too close to his daughter while at the ATM and the subject had been to the ATM four times. The suspect entered a silver vehicle and fled the parking lot, but was located and a traffic stop was conducted. The suspect told police he was depositing money into his mother’s account at the ATM. It was learned the suspect’s mother does not have an account with the bank and the suspect was observed depositing a check into an account out of Utah. The check reversed out of the account as being fraudulent. An investigation is pending.
Trespass notice
Dec. 26
A complainant at a restaurant in the 100 block of N. York told police at around 3:33 p.m. that a subject who had previously been told not to return to the restaurant, was observed entering the restaurant. Management wanted the subject to be served with a no-trespass notice. The subject was served with the notice and advised she would be arrested if she retuned to the restaurant again.
