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.
Assault
Jan. 1
A reporting officer responded to a retirement community in the 400 block of W. Butterfield for a report of an alleged assault. A victim was being assisted by medical staff when she reported she was assaulted, police said. The victim states she was brought to the bathroom by one of the female nurses, who started cleaning her which was making her feel uncomfortable, according to police. Further investigation is pending.
Dec. 31
Police said officers responded to the 200 block of N. Illinois at around 5:48 a.m. after an unknown suspect refused to pay for his cab fare and pulled a knife on the cab driver. The cab driver gave a statement and a responding officer will attempt to make contact with the suspect.
Dec. 30
Police said a reporting officer was notified of a possible altercation at the Schiller Parking Deck at around 11:19 p.m. The officer made contact with Fernando Saucedo, 24, of Addison, who allegedly became belligerent and uncooperative. Police said Saucedo aggressively approached the officer while continuing to yell profanities. Saucedo was charged with attempted aggravated assault.
Criminal damage to property, criminal trespass to property
Dec. 29
A victim in the 200 block of E. Schiller told police at around 2:28 p.m. that he found damage to the siding on his house. The victim discovered 10 holes in the siding that appear to have been caused by an air soft gun.
Domestic battery, domestic incident
Dec. 30
A 28-year-old Elmhurst woman was charged with domestic battery in the 400 block of W. St. Charles at around 2:15 p.m. Police said that subsequent to a complaint of a domestic battery, the victim and a witness stated that the suspect slapped the victim in the face.
A victim in the 100 block of W. First told police at around 8:58 p.m. that he was involved in a verbal argument while at a bar. The victim decided to leave and wait for a train at the above location. The suspect reportedly located the victim at a nearby restaurant and they began to argue further. The argument became physical when the suspect allegedly began punching and kicking the victim. The victim claims the suspect kicked him, which caused the suspect to fall, damaging a glass door in the process. Staff at the restaurant did not wish to sign complaints for the damaged door as long as the suspect reimbursed them for the replacement glass.
DUI, DUI-drugs, illegal consumption or possession of alcohol by a minor, illegal transportation of open alcohol, illegal possession of open alcohol
Jan. 1
Matthew Wright, 33, of Darien, was charged with DUI and improper parking/stopping on the roadway near First and West at around 10:29 p.m. Police said that subsequent to a call for a driver slumped over the wheel, Wright was located and found to be DUI, according to police.
Dec. 29
Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near North and Clinton at around 11:59 p.m., a juvenile suspect was found to be DUI. The juvenile was charged with DUI, improper lane usage, illegal transportation of alcohol, consumption of alcohol by a minor and released to his father. Diego Lopez, 18, of Chicago, was observed throwing a baggie containing cocaine out the window of the vehicle, according to police. He was charged with felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance, obstructing identification and consumption of alcohol by a minor.
Mario Alcon-Mejia, 36, of Melrose Park, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, illegal transportation of alcohol, driving while license revoked and no rear registration subsequent to a traffic stop near Belden and York at around 4:50 p.m. Police said after the suspect was placed under arrest, a search of his person yielded a small plastic bag with cocaine.
Wayne Valdez, 63, of Villa Park, was charged with DUI in the 1000 block of S. Route 83 at around 9:56 p.m. Police said officers were dispatched to the above location for a report of a vehicle crash where Valdez’s vehicle ran off the roadway and struck a fence. Valdez was found to be DUI, according to police.
Leaving scene of an accident
Dec. 29
Eva Gonzalez, 58, of Northlake, was charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and no valid driver’s license near York and North at around 4:39 p.m.
Possession of cannabis, drug paraphernalia, controlled substance
Jan. 1
Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near Roosevelt and York at around 2:27 a.m., Myles Douglas Anderson, 22, of Lisle, was found to be DUI-alcohol. During a search, Anderson was found to be in possession of a small plastic bag containing a white powdery substance which tested positive for cocaine, police said. Anderson was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, DUI, driving on the shoulder and failure to signal when required.
Kishon Bradley, 20, of Champaign, was issued citations for possession of cannabis and illegal transportation of open alcohol subsequent to a traffic stop near Route 83 and Riverside at around 12:20 a.m.
Dec. 30
Police said that subsequent to a disturbance complaint, a juvenile suspect told officers he was angry because his mother had thrown away his cannabis. Officers located a cannabis smoking pipe and cannabis remnants in the suspect’s bedroom, according to police. The juvenile was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia and released to a parent.
Dec. 28
Gabriela Martinez, 22, of Bensenville, was issued citations for possession of cannabis, failure to give information after striking an unattended vehicle and no insurance in the 100 block of N. Robert Palmer Drive at around 7:59 p.m.
Police said that while a reporting officer was investigating a parked suspicious vehicle in the 500 block of W. North at around 1:52 a.m., the officer made contact with Kristopher Wade-Matthews, 31, of Chicago, and smelled the strong odor of cannabis coming from inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle yielded a cannabis grinder, glass smoking pipe, and a container with cannabis, according to police. Wade-Matthews was issued citations for possession of cannabis and of drug paraphernalia.
Dec. 27
Thomas Lehman, 20, of Bensenville, was issued citations for possession of cannabis and tinted windows subsequent to a traffic stop near York and Grand at around 4:44 p.m.
Theft/burglary/attempted theft or burglary/identity theft/fraud/forgery/deceptive practice/obstruction/robbery
Jan. 1
Laura Ortiz, 35, of Bensenville, was charged with retail theft at a store in the 600 block of N. York at around 4:28 p.m.
Dec. 31
A victim at Elmhurst Hospital told police that she placed her gray/green North Face coat, a green lunch box and a green large canvas bag on a chair in the staff lounge. When she returned at 8:30 a.m., her items were missing. An investigation is pending.
Dec. 30
Brandon Travelstead, 29 of Antioch, was charged with felony retail theft at a store in the 300 block of S. Route 83 at around 7:13 p.m. Police said officers responded to the store for a retail theft in progress. According to police, a loss prevention employee stated she observed Travelstead place merchandise inside his pants, and then left the store without paying for those items.
Dec. 29
Police said an employee at a store in the 1000 block of S. York told police a suspect described as a black male around 5’1”, 115 pounds with fire engine red hair, a pink head wrap, wearing a black Canadian Goose jacket and snow boots, came into the store and purchased several dessert items. The suspect attempted to pay for the items with a counterfeit $100 bill. The employee told the suspect the money looked fake and she was going to call the police. The suspect left the store. The employee retained the bill and the merchandise. The counterfeit bill was collected as evidence and the Secret Service was notified.
Forgery was reported at a food store in the 200 block of S. Route 83 at around 7:20 p.m. An employee told police a suspect attempted to purchase a Visa gift card using a counterfeit $100 bill. When the suspect was confronted by the employee about the fake bill, she fled the store. The counterfeit bill and the Visa gift card were retained as evidence.
Dec. 28
Identity theft was reported in the 200 block of N. Evergreen at around 12:01 p.m. A victim told police that a couple of months ago she received a credit card in the mail for which she did not apply. An unknown suspect(s) had opened this account and charged approximately $1,500 on the account.
Theft was reported at Elmhurst Hospital at around 3:39 a.m. A reporting officer responded to the hospital for a theft of a cell phone. A victim told police she left her cell phone on the counter, near the nurse’s station. When the victim returned moments later, she noticed her phone was missing.
Dec. 25-Dec. 26
Attempted burglary to a vehicle was reported in the 600 block of Albert Street. A victim told police she left her purse in a locked vehicle while attending a party. The following day, she saw what appeared to be pry marks on the driver’s side door of the vehicle. She does not believe the suspect gained access to the vehicle.
Dec. 25
Theft was reported in the 100 block of N. York at around 11:15 a.m. A victim told police she lost her cell phone at the above location. Using the “Locate Me” application, the victim learned the phone was located in Cicero. Cicero police attempted to locate the victim’s phone with no results.
A complainant in the 400 block of N. Elm told police at around 9:39 a.m. that he listed a refrigerator for sale on Craigslist. He received an offer from a suspect, who sent a possibly fraudulent cashier’s check, stating the excess funds were to pay for moving company fees. The suspect then requested that cash be sent via wire transfer back to him. The complainant refused and incurred no dollar loss.
May 27, 2017-Dec. 1, 2017
A victim in the 200 block of Evergreen told police at around 4:50 p.m. that he received a document in the mail informing him he had won the lottery and was eligible to collect cash. The victim was informed to mail several payments to an address in Missouri. The victim sent three checks to the address between the above dates, but has yet to receive his lottery winnings.
June 1, 2017-Sept. 26, 2017
A victim in the 200 block of Evergreen told police he was contacted on the telephone by an unknown suspect who claimed he was a Federal Reserve employee. The suspect advised the victim he was eligible for a grant if he supplied the Federal Reserve employee with iTunes gift cards. The victim purchased gift cards and supplied the suspect with the numbers between the above dates.
Feb. 1, 2017-March 1, 2017
Identity theft was reported in the 200 block of E. Wrightwood. A victim told police that he was contacted by a collection agency for an outstanding bill from Comcast between the above dates and learned that an unknown suspect(s) used his personal information to open a fraudulent Comcast account. Comcast required a police report to be filed.
Warrant arrest
Jan. 1
Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near Lake and Walnut at around 1:50 a.m., Jose Gonzalez, 41, of Chicago, was found to be wanted on a warrant out of the Chicago Police Department. He also was charged with illegal transportation of open alcohol, no valid driver’s license and disobeying a traffic control signal.Edgar Gongora, 33, of Chicago, a passenger in the vehicle, was issued a citation for illegal transportation of open alcohol.
Dec. 30
Police said officers responded to the 300 block of S. Spring at around 6:19 p.m. to the report of a male subject who requested assistance. Upon further investigation, it was learned that Gregory Staskowski, 38, of Wheaton, had an active warrant out of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, according to police.
Dec. 29
Police said that subsequent to a traffic crash in the 300 block of S. York at around 6:39 p.m., Blair Davis, 33, of Villa Park, had a valid warrant out of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. Davis also was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving while license suspended.
