Crime & Safety

South Suburban DUI Arrests, June 24

Lawyer tries to pull strings, sleepy drunken driver hits a light pole: the weekly roundup of DUI arrests in the Southland.

 


June 3: A driver called 911 around 11:15 p.m. June 3 after reportedly watching a vehicle strike the center median near the intersection of 183rd Street and Harlem Avenue.  Police tracked down the 2000 Buick Regal being driven by John W. Pleta, 52, of the 17900 block of Flamingo Drive in . Officers watched Pleta nearly strike a curb in the 8100 block of 175th Street and then drive across the painted center line, according to the report. After police pulled over Pieta near 84th Avenue and 175th Street, he reportedly blew a .213 on the Breathalyzer. While being escorted to the police squad, Pieta asked the officer, 'Do you really have to go there? I'm a lawyer, you know,' according to reports. He was charged with improper lane use, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.08.

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May 31: Evergreen Park Police charged a resident with driving under the influence after seeing his vehicle had struck a street light pole. According to reports, William E. O’Brien, 23, of Evergreen Park was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal transportation of alcohol by driver and damage to village property. At about 2:51 a.m., an officer saw a 2001 Ford vehicle at 91st Street and St. Louis Avenue that was pressed against a street light pole. “There was a lone male in the driver’s seat, who appeared to be asleep at the wheel,” said police. When police were able to wake him up, he exited the car, smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech. O’Brien failed all field sobriety tests, police said. Police recovered a partially-filled 750 ml bottle of Smirnoff Citrus vodka on the rear of the center console, reports said. According to police, O’Brien refused a Breathalyzer test.

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June 16: Banesa Jaquez, 25, of the 1000 block of Emerald Avenue, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after police stopped her on Emerald Avenue just after 1:30 a.m., according to the report.

June 16: Michael G. Vogel, 30, of the 14500 block of Linder Court in Oak Forest, was charged with driving under the influence and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident after a traffic incident near the intersection of Hotchkiss and Micou drives. Vogel was released on bond, and his next court date is July 6.

June 15:
Janice Dvorak, 65, of the 22900 block of South Cog Hill Drive, was charged with driving under the influence, speeding and improper lane use after a traffic stop in the 21000 block of LaGrange Road. Dvorak was released on bond, and her next court date is July 3.

June 11: Police pulled over a vehicle after seeing it drive slowly and crossing over lane lines on 159th Street near Ravinia Avenue around 1:20 a.m. The driver’s breath smelled like alcohol, his eyes were red and glassy, empty beer cans were found in the car and he failed field sobriety tests, police said. The officer also found a wooden pipe and baggie with marijuana in it inside the car, according to the report.  Brian J. Mata, 29, of the 8600 block of Kolmar Avenue, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level greater than .08, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving an uninsured vehicle.


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.


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