Driver Sat At Gas Pump Nearly 2 Hours

An employee of a gas station called police March 14 at 7 a.m. to say that a female driver had been parked at a gas pump for between one and two hours. The employee helped her get gas and, after talking to her, felt she was not capable of driving, according to the police report.

Police responded to the gas station, in the 6900 block of Milwaukee Avenue, and asked the woman, 26, of Chicago, whether she was all right. According to the report, she stared for a few moments and then asked, "why are you asking me all these questions?" The officer explained he and the employee were concerned about her well-being and ability to drive. A check of her driver's license came up valid, with no criminal history. 

The officer asked her to step out of the vehicle to perform field sobriety tests. After asking several times why that was necessary, she stepped out, but when the officer tried to position her so the sun was not in her eyes, she refused to comply further, according to the report. The officer asked if she had been drinking, taken drugs or was diabetic, and she responded she sometimes needed to eat high sugar products. 

Niles Fire Department paramedics arrived to evaluate her condition, but she refused to get inside the ambulance. They placed her on a stretcher and put her inside the ambulance, but she became combative once inside, the report indicated, so they placed her in soft restraints. She refused to answer questions and struggled with paramedics as they tried to take her pulse, blood pressure and blood sugar level. Paramedics determined she was not capable of caring for herself and arranged for her to be admitted to Lutheran General Hospital; the gas station employee allowed her car to remain at the gas station. Police filed a report.

Man charged with felony DUI

Robert Zimolag, 41, of Morton Grove was charged with a Class 4 felony count of DUI and driving on a suspended driver's license after police stopped him March 12 just after 2:20 a.m. at Harlem Avenue and Harvard Street. Police said he was driving 50 mph in a 35 mph zone. Police said he had the odor of alcohol on his breath, and when they asked for a driver's license, he offered them a U.S. passport instead. According to the report, he told the officer he had consumed two Okocim Polish beers. Police said he showed impairment on field sobriety tests.

Information is taken from Niles Police Department reports.

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