CHICAGO HEIGHTS

Sept. 9: John F. Petrassi, 36, of the 14100 block of West 81st Drive in Dyer, IN, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Police initially stopped Petrassi after seeing his vehicle hit a curb. He then picked up speed and crossed over into oncoming traffic lanes before coming to a stop, police said. Petrassi reeked of alcohol and police had him perform field sobriety tests. He did the one-leg stand test, but when asked to do the walk and turn test, Petrassi refused and said, "You're trying to DUI me," according to the report. 

Sept. 9: Angel Garcia, 25, of the 400 block of Ingram Avenue in Calumet City, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after police stopped him for speeding and swerving over traffic lines, according to the report. Police noticed Garcia's eyes were bloodshot. He told police he had just drank two beers. Garcia was hit with additional charges, including improper lane usage, speeding, no insurance, driving on a suspended license and blood-alcohol content over .08. 

EVERGREEN PARK

Sept. 11: Margaret Scott, 46, of Chicago, was charged with driving under the influence. She was stopped at 2:55 a.m. in the 9800 block of Pulaski Road for traveling 60 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour zone, police said. A breath test revealed a blood alcohol level of .283, police said. 

HOMEWOOD

Sept. 15: Jasmine Parker, 24, of Robbins, was charged with driving under the influence, improper lane usage, illegal transportation of alcohol and driving on a suspended license after police stopped her just before 2 a.m. Officers administered several field sobriety tests to Parker, all of which she failed, but not before urinating in her pants during the process, according to the report. A search of the vehicle reveled a clear bag with assorted prescription painkiller medication in it as well as two open bottles of Hennessey Cognac, police say. 

Sept. 16: Nicolas Clemons, 21, of the 0-100 block of Glarus Lane in Lynwood, was charged with driving with expired plate stickers, driving under the influence of drugs and driving with an expired drivers license when police pulled him over for the expired sticker just before 2 a.m., according to police reports. Police say Clemons’ eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred when they pulled him over. Clemons said he had taken three shots of alcohol during dinner around 5 p.m. earlier that day, according to the report.

After Clemons failed three of three field sobriety tests, police brought him into the station, the report says. Officers gave him a breath alcohol test, on which he blew 0.00, according to the report. After police read Clemons his Miranda rights, he admitted to smoking marijuana 45 minutes before he was pulled over. Two urine samples were secured; one for evidence and the other for drug analysis, according to the report.

Sept. 17: Police pulled over Landon Gresham, 30, of the 7100 block of South Indiana, just before 2:30 a.m. after they saw him weaving between lanes while driving. Police say Gresham smelled strongly of alcohol and had trouble speaking clearly during the traffic stop. According to the report, police gave Gresham three field sobriety tests and he failed all three.

Recovered from Gresham’s car was a half-empty bottle of vodka, a bag or marijuana, two bags filled with ecstasy pills and a small puppy with no tags, according to the report. At the station, police say Gresham refused to take an alcohol breath test, however, he did admit ownership of the vodka and the marijuana. Only one, at most, of the pills were his, he says in the police report. 

NEW LENOX

Sept. 15: Michael Sarcinelli, 39, of the 2700 block of Sunrise Lane in New Lenox, was cited after a traffic accident at South Cedar and Delaney roads. According to a police report, he was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, no seat belt, illegal transportation of alcohol, DUI and driving on a suspended license.

OAK FOREST

Sept. 12: Brian M. McCracken, 33, of the 16100 block of Debra Drive, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after police stopped him due to another motorist's tip. When officers pulled McCracken over in the 15900 block of Lorel Avenue, he was backing into mailboxes along the roadway. During the stop, McCracken told police he wasn't driving and had not been drinking. While stopped he refused to attempt any field sobriety tests, was verbally agressive with police and was arrested.

During a search of his car, officers found a wooden 'hitter box,' containing a pipe with burnt residue inside and a green plant-like substance in the storage compartment of the box. At the police department, McCracken yelled at officers and urinated on his cell door. He was charged with DUI, improper backing, improper lane usage, possession of cannabis, possession of drug pipe, failure to display a valid city vehicle sticker.

ORLAND PARK

Aug. 23: Police were called about a person asleep in a car with the sound system playing loud music around 1:05 a.m. The officer found a woman asleep in the driver’s seat reclined back with the engine running, according to the report. The driver’s breath smelled like alcohol, she failed field sobriety tests and said she doesn’t know anyone who lives in Orland Park, according to the report. Holly N. Patton, 27, of the 7300 block of 56^th Place in Summit, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level greater than .08.

Sept. 11: Police saw a car tailgating another and almost striking a curb while swerving in the 8900 block of 159^th Street around 12:55 a.m. The car was pulled over after it crossed over lane lines while making a left turn, police said. The driver’s speech was slurred, the car smelled like alcohol, he had two unopened beers next to him and he admitted to drinking, according to the report. He also failed field sobriety tests, police said. Matthew F. Amend, 18, of the 18200 West Winds Lane in Orland Park, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level greater than .08, following too closely, improper lane use and possession of alcohol by a minor.

PALOS HILLS

Sept. 8: Brooke Sofinowski, 32, of Palos Hills, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with one headlight, according to a police report. An officer reportedly saw a vehicle swerving in the lane and driving with one headlight at about 1 a.m. Police stopped the vehicle and reportedly noticed a strong smell of alcohol. Sofinowski submitted to field sobriety tests and was then arrested. She was given a court date of Oct. 4.

Sept. 8: Mario Robles, 34, of Hickory Hills, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, improper lane use and driving without insurance, according to a police report. Police said they saw a vehicle make a wide turn on Roberts Road from 103rd Street at about 2:30 a.m. An officer reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol on the driver's breath. Robles submitted to a field sobriety test and was then arrested. He was given a court date of Oct. 25.

Police report information is provided by local police departments. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.