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.
Assault, battery
Dec. 18
Police said a suspect was brought into the emergency room of Elmhurst Hospital at around 5:01 p.m. and required restraints due to his behavior. Subsequent to a struggle, the suspect kicked the victim, causing an injury to the victim’s elbow. Charges are pending.
Criminal trespass to property, criminal damage to property, criminal defacement
Dec. 18
A victim in the 100 block of W. Fremont told police at around 8:39 p.m. that he observed a red hatchback vehicle stop in front of his home. An unknown suspect exited the vehicle, ran to his yard, and tackled his 20-foot blow-up Santa yard decoration, breaking one of the plastic legs on the base. The area was checked with no results.
Dec. 17
Police said that subsequent to a vehicle lock-out in the 100 block of S. York at around 5:24 p.m., an unnamed suspect was found to be trespassing on private property and using the parking garage to sleep in his vehicle. The suspect was issued a no-trespass notice and left the complex without incident.
Domestic battery, domestic incident, disorderly conduct, damage to property, disturbance
Dec. 23
A victim in the 100 block of Fellows told police at around 5:34 a.m. that while in the restroom of her apartment, she heard someone speak. When she turned, she saw an unknown suspect peering through her window. The area was checked with no results.
Dec. 20
Police said officers responded to an unnamed location for the report of a physical domestic with intoxicated subjects. Upon arrival, the complainant and the suspects were extremely uncooperative and refused to provide any information about the incident. There were no signs of injury and no arrests were made. A short time later, officers returned to the residence for a medic request. Medics transported one of the subjects to the hospital.
Dec. 19
A victim related while at an unknown location in Elmhurst at around 11:24 a.m., the suspect grabbed her by the neck and choked her. She drove the suspect to his residence in Elmwood Park, and the suspect battered her at that location. The reporting officer observed a red mark on the right side of the victim’s neck and a scratch on her right jawline. An investigation is pending.
DUI, DUI-drugs, illegal transportation of alcohol
Dec. 24
Joseph Morici, 32, of La Grange, was charged with DUI, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, speeding and disobeying a traffic control device subsequent to a traffic stop in the 600 block of W. Grand at around 2:20 a.m.
Francisco Sanchez, 29, of Lombard, was charged with DUI, possession of cannabis in a vehicle, violation of driver’s license restriction, improper lane usage and no headlights subsequent to a traffic stop near E. North and N. Willow at around 12:39 a.m.
Dec. 22
Daniel Long, 19, of St. Louis, Mo., was charged with DUI, possession of adult use cannabis in a vehicle and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident subsequent to a traffic crash near North and Glade at around 3:45 p.m.
Dec. 20
Ena Hatibovic, 22, of Carol Stream, was issued a citation for illegal transportation of open alcohol near Route 83 and North at around 8:49 p.m.
Kenyata S. James, 40, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, transportation of open alcohol, speeding and improper lane usage subsequent to a traffic stop near Roosevelt and York at around 2:03 a.m.
Jack Ndayisenga, 18, of Knoxville, Tenn., was charged with illegal transportation of alcohol, possession of alcohol by a minor, driving while license suspended and no insurance, while Abdullahi S. Omar, 18, of Lombard, a passenger in the vehicle, was issued a citation for possession of adult use cannabis subsequent to a traffic stop near Addison and North at around 12:28 a.m.
Dec. 19
Steven J. Berg, 23, of Elmhurst, was charged with DUI and driving without lights when required subsequent to a traffic stop near Park and Cottage Hill at around 1:51 a.m.
Eric A. Rodriguez, 33, of Bensenville, was charged with DUI, speeding, improper lane usage, failure to signal when required and no insurance subsequent to a traffic stop near Grand and York at around 1:01 a.m.
Alvin Stanton, 51, of Oak Park, was charged with DUI-drugs and improper lane usage in the 200 block of S. Route 83 at around 8:39 a.m.
Fleeing, eluding
Dec. 18
A reporting officer near Lake and Grand attempted to conduct a traffic stop on an offending vehicle at around 10:49 a.m. but it fled from the officer at a high rate of speed. An investigation is pending.
Harassment, threats
Dec. 3-Dec. 17
Police said a victim in the 400 block of Howard told police that she has received more than 30 phone calls from an unknown suspect, who is threatening her. The victim told the suspect that the calls were being traced and the suspect has not called back. The victim blocked all incoming unknown calls and will sign complaints if the suspect is located.
Obstructing identification
Dec. 22
John P. Woodard, 30 of Chicago, was charged with obstructing identification, possession of cannabis by the driver, driving while license suspended, operating an electronic communication device while driving, improper lighting and no insurance subsequent to a traffic stop near York and Lake at around 9:43 p.m.
Possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance
Dec. 23
Andrea Mendoza, 19, of Villa Park, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of cannabis in a vehicle and driving while license suspended subsequent to a traffic stop near E. North and N. Berteau at around 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 22
Megan S. Moeller, 21, of Arlington Heights, was issued a citation for possession of adult use cannabis in a vehicle and improper lighting subsequent to a traffic stop near Route 83 and Riverside at around 10:18 p.m.
Dec. 21
Nestor Rosario, 30, of Burbank, was issued citations for unlawful possession of cannabis in a vehicle and no seat belt subsequent to a traffic stop near North and Ferndale at around 10:23 a.m.
Dec. 18
Kara Lyn Brage, 41, of Aurora, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and retail theft in the 600 block of W. North at around 3:04 p.m. Police said that during a consent search, the suspect was found to be in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.
Theft/burglary/attempted theft or burglary/identity theft/fraud/forgery/deceptive practice/obstruction/robbery
Dec. 23
Rolando Anton Granados, 21, and Maryte Torres, 24, both of Chicago, were charged with two counts of retail theft and two counts of burglary at a store in the 300 block of S. Route 83 at around 4:04 p.m. According to police, a complainant witnessed three female suspects leaving the store with handfuls of clothing. Two were juveniles. The suspects entered a white Ford Explorer and fled the area.
Johnathan Martinez, 20, of Lombard, was charged with retail theft at a store in the 300 block of S. Route 83 at around 12:44 p.m. A reporting officer met with a complainant who stated that Martinez allegedly stole merchandise before leaving the area.
Retail theft was reported at a local supermarket in the 100 block of E. Schiller at around 5:34 p.m. According to police, a complainant stated that an unknown suspect left the store with without paying for a package eye drops he had taken. The suspect is described as a white male in his 30s. The unknown suspect left the area in a blue Honda sedan with tinted windows and large muffler.
Dec. 22
Theft of a vehicle was reported in the 200 block of S. Route 83 at around 9:58 a.m. A victim told police that she left her 2004 white Pontiac Vibe unattended and running in the parking lot at the above location. Upon returning to the parking lot, she found her vehicle was missing. The vehicle was entered into LEADS. The victim’s dog, her driver’s license, her cell phone, and cash were inside of the vehicle when it was reportedly stolen by two suspects described as black males. The suspects’ vehicle is a poor condition, blue/silver, early 2000s minivan (possibly a Ford Windstar). The victim’s vehicle was recovered in Chicago on Dec. 23, but the victim’s dog is still missing. (See photo of dog on pg. 3 of this issue.)
Theft was reported at a pizza restaurant in the 600 block of N. York at around 11:03 p.m. A complainant told police that an unknown suspect ordered 12 pizzas to be delivered to an address in Elmhurst. The complainant arrived at the address with the pizzas, but the suspect would not answer the phone. The suspect texted the complainant and stated the pizza order was a prank.
Dec. 21
Jeffrey T. Ronowski, 45, of Des Plaines, was charged with theft at a business near Riverside and Route 83 at around 2:22 a.m. Police said that while an officer was on patrol, the officer observed a suspicious vehicle in the area where a recent attempted burglary to a vehicle occurred. An investigative traffic stop was conducted and Ronowski was found to be in possession of 10 spools of copper wiring, according to police. Subsequently, police said Ronowski admitted to stealing the spools of wire.
Attempted burglary to a vehicle was reported at a business in the 800 block of Riverside at around 12:18 a.m. Complainants told police that while they were inside of the sleeping area of the truck, a noise woke them. When they opened the curtain covering, they observed the driver’s door was open and an unknown suspect was climbing into the truck. When the suspect realized the truck was occupied, he fled on foot westbound through the lot.
Retail theft was reported at a pharmacy in the 100 block of W. North at around 11:43 a.m. A complainant told police that two suspects—one described as a white female between 25 and 30 years old; the other described as a black male between 35 and 40 years old—stole three bottles of liquor and an unknown amount of facial/cosmetic products. The suspects entered a minivan (possibly a Chrysler) and left the scene in an unknown direction. Officers checked the area for the suspects with no results.
Dec. 19-Dec. 21
Theft of vehicle parts was reported at a trucking company in the 200 block of W. Diversey. A complainant told police than an unknown suspect(s) cut the fencing to the storage yard and stole five tires from two vehicles which were parked in the lot sometime between the above dates.
Dec. 18
Identity theft was reported in the 100 block of E. Van Buren at around 4:14 p.m. A victim told police that she found two unauthorized charges on her credit card. The victim is not out any money and will sign complaints if the suspect(s) is located.
Dec. 17
Retail theft was reported at a pharmacy in the 100 block of N. Robert Palmer at around 11:10 a.m. A complainant told police that a suspect described as a black male between 30 and 40 years old, 6 feet tall and weighing between 240 and 250 pounds, used a key to access the locked display of over-the-counter medication, concealed several boxes of medication on himself, and proceeded past the last point of sale. He was confronted and subsequently dropped some of the medications from his pockets. The suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction.
Identity theft was reported in the 700 block of Parkside at around 3:43 p.m. A victim told police that she received an email requesting that she provide her Social Security number to update her account and continue her subscription with Netflix. The victim realized, after entering her Social Security number, that the email was fraudulent.
Dec. 16
Theft was reported in the 300 block of S. Sturges at around 1:29 p.m. A victim told police he was selling a new Xbox X Series on Facebook. The suspect, described as an Hispanic male between 30 and 40 years old, agreed to the price and paid the amount through the electronic payment app Zelle.
The victim gave the suspect the Xbox and subsequently learned that the suspect’s Zelle account was disabled and the transaction did not go through.
Dec. 14
Forgery was reported in the 500 block of S. York at around 11:10 a.m. A victim told police that an unknown suspect(s) made three unauthorized withdrawals from the victim’s checking account.
Unemployment benefits identity theft
Nov. 1-Dec. 22
Between the above dates, the Elmhurst Police Department reported 94 incidents of identity theft with the intention of using a victim’s personal information to fraudulently apply for unemployment benefits through the Illinois Department of Employment Security. In one of the incidents, a complainant told police she also discovered two unauthorized charges on her credit card.
Warrant arrest
Dec. 17
Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near Route 83 and Riverside that Jose Bautista, 38, of Lombard, was found to not have a valid driver’s license and had a valid warrant from the Villa Park Police Department. He was charged with no valid driver’s license, improper passing of an emergency vehicle and no insurance.
