Saturday, May 18, 2013
The following police-related items were taken from area Patches. When an arrest is referenced is should not be considered a conviction.
Des Plaines Battery, Hazing Charges Filed Against Maine West Soccer Coach A former varsity boys soccer coach and teacher at Maine West High School faces multiple criminal charges related to reports of bullying and hazing, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez stated on Wednesday. Michael Divincenzo was charged with eight misdemeanor counts including three counts of battery, one count of hazing and four counts of failure to report abuse as mandated, in incidents on June 1, 2012, Aug. 31, 2012 and Sept. 26, 2012, according to court documents. Divincenzo is accused of threatening freshmen students to have the varsity players stick their thumbs up their buttocks if they did not communicate properly during a soccer drill, according to the …
Friday, May 17, 2013
David Wooten set up a fictitious business in Park Ridge where he would befriend customers looking to sell art, sports memorabilia or even vehicles. His scheme reached several states, Park Ridge police said, and they're seeking more victims.
Meet David Ray Wooten. Yet his victims may know him by several other names. According to police, Wooten established a fictitious company in Park Ridge in an effort to gain the trust of his victims. He then conducted business transactions with his victims, taking possession of their vehicles, sports memorabilia, cash, artwork among other things without providing the agreed upon compensation. In addition, Wooten would befriend people, often assuming the name of his previous victim, establish credibility and then commit acts of fraud, authorities said. His scheme reached states beyond Illinois, including Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri. Police believe his ruse affected some 100 victims throughout the Midwest. Given that and the fact that a …
Scambook is offering information on avoiding this scam and protecting yourself from scammers.
Due to the extreme penalties behind missing jury duty, scammers are preying on victims’ fear of legal action by pretending to be “jury duty coordinators” questioning consumers about recent jury duty summons. This scam that dates back to 2005, is circulating again with multiple states being hit including Illinois, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona and Oregon. Victims are being confused by scammers who request a Social Security number and date of birth to "verify" their information. With this information, scammers are armed for identity theft, tax fraud, hacking into bank accounts or other illegal purposes. To avoid falling for this jury duty phone scam, Scambook advises the following: 1. Understand that jury duty is always arranged by mailed …
The department held a dignified ceremony Saturday on a day the nation honors law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty.
Morton Grove police held a Peace Officers Memorial Day flag ceremony on Saturday, honoring fallen police officers. The department honored one of its own, Officer Barry Shalin, who was killed in the line of duty in 1989. The video attached to this story opens with Morton Grove Police Chief Mark Erickson talking about Shalin. He also memorialized Officer Kyle Deatherage of the Illinois State Police, who lost his life in the line of duty this year. Erickson read a prayer asking for divine guidance to guide police in their work and divine protection to bring them home to their families at the end of the day. The flag ceremony also included the playing of taps and a rifle salute. It was held Saturday morning justs outside the Morton Grove …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
More than a dozen firefighters were on scene as they put out a two story fire near the intersection of Church Street and Crawford Avenue on Wednesday around 4:45 p.m.
Johnson Shino walked into Anuyu Hair Studio, 4015 Church St., expecting to get a haircut. Instead, he saw a lot of smoke and a whole lot of firefighters. "There was no 'boom,'" Shino said making a gesture with his hands. "Only smoke. It was very quiet." At about 4:45 p.m., Wednesday, smoke from a first floor business caused an entire building to be shutdown and evacuated. Windows of a second floor apartment unit were busted out and the smell of smoke was faint in the air. An office next to the hair salon showcased wet carpet from the water used to put out the blaze above. There were at least four firetrucks on scene. A Skokie Fire Department official said there were no serious injuries. He also added that no one was transported to the …
The scammers are trying to steal credit card and personal banking information.
Niles residents are being warned of a debit card phone scam. According to the village website, an automated system has been calling Niles residents saying their “Debit card has been deactivated." Niles officials say this is a scam to attempt to access personal banking information, and to not interact with anyone regarding these calls. If you have been a victim of this scam, contact the Niles Police Department.
Also, a woman was charged with stealing 28 items of cosmetics and makeup worth $425. An arrest is merely an accusation, not evidence of a conviction.
Niles police responded to a Golf Mill Shopping Center retail store for a report of a suspicious group inside a store on May 8 about 7:30 p.m. The person who called to report it said one of the group was heard to say, "I'm gonna pop a cap in his ass," according to the report. When police arrived, they were advised of a fight in the common area between two stores at the north end of the mall. They located the victim, a 20-year-old Chicago man, and a witness, a 19-year-old Chicago man, who said four Hispanic males approached them a couple of times as they walked in the mall, the report indicated. The victim and witness said they tried to ignore the men and walked away from them, but they began pushing and slapping the victim, according to …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The man's newlywed wife reported him missing, but he was already in police custody - for soliciting a prostitute.
A 21-year-old Lincolnwood man was charged with soliciting a prostitute - on his honeymoon. Mohammed Ahmed, of the 4400 block of Estes Avenue, was charged with soliciting a prostitute in Orlando, Fla., according to the Polk County Sheriff's Department. According to authorities, Ahmed's wife called police and reported her husband missing when he didn't return to their hotel suite. She would later realize he was in police custody after he was arrested by an undercover cop, according to the Huffington Post. Ahmed was arrested during a four day sting which took place between May 8 and 11 in Orlando, Huffington Post Chicago reports. -- Like Niles-Morton Grove Patch on Facebook
The 1-year-old boy's mother and her boyfriend have been charged with the murder of Bryeon Hunter, who was first reported missing in April. The body was found near the Brookfield Zoo.
Police found the body of a young boy in the Des Plaines River near Brookfield Zoo on Tuesday afternoon, and it's believed to be 1-year-old Bryeon Hunter, whose parents have been charged with his murder. According to a Cook County Sheriff's Department news release, the body was spotted by a kayaker in the river near First Avenue and 31st Street. An autopsy will be performed Wednesday to identify the boy and determine the cause of death. The Chicago Tribune reported that the child's size and description fits that of Bryeon Hunter, who disappeared April 16. Since that time, police have searched the Des Plaines River. Hunter's mother Lakeshia Baker, 22, and her boyfriend Michael Scott, 21 have been charged with the boy's murder. Baker …
The National Transportation Safety Board recommends reducing the limit. Some say it would save lives. Others say it's unreasonable.
One drink could be the standard for drunken driving – at least for some people if the National Transporation Safety Board has its way. On Tuesday, the NTSB recommended states lower the blood-alcohol threshold for driving under the influence from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent. About 10,000 deaths a year are related to drunken driving. The NTSB says the lower limit would save 500 to 800 lives a year. Officials at the American Beverage Institute called the proposal "ludicrous." It said the average woman could reach the 0.05 percent limit by having one drink. According to CyberDriveIllinois.com's 2013 DUI Fact Book, there were 10,175 DUI arrests in Cook County in 2011. DUI facts from CyberDriveIllinois.com:
Stu Pidasso
1:06 pm on Saturday, May 18, 2013
This guy will not spend a day in jail!! waste of taxpayers money... Think about it... first time offender, misdemeanors, will get probation, if that... while the taxpayers are stuck footing the bill for this dog and pony show.. Our society is in a sad state of affairs.. more ›