Tuesday Blotter: Squatters in City Building

The Des Plaines Police Department provided the following reports. In all incidents where an arrest occurred, a charge is merely an accusation and not evidence of guilt. The arrested person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Urinating at the Choo-Choo

Police observed Jaime G. Menjivar, 41, of Hanover Park, urinating in Choo-Choo Restaurant’s parking lot next to a green Honda in the 600 block of Lee Street about 8 p.m. July 17, according to the report.

Menjivar told police he was lost and had to use the bathroom. Police smelled the odor of alcohol on Menjivar’s breath, and noticed opened bottles of beer in the front passenger seat of the Honda. Menjivar said the beers were from the previous night, but police reported the bottles were cold to the touch.

Menjivar was issued citations for public indecency and having an opened alcohol container in public.

Mac Book Stolen

Police responded to a burglary report in the 2000 block of South Plainfield Drive on Aug. 18. According to the report, a man told police that a Mac Book Pro laptop and a Canon Rebel T3 camera were taken when he was not at home.

His roommate reported the window to the basement bathroom was open when he arrived home about 4 p.m., and it was only open a little when he left five hours earlier.

Squatters in City-Owned Building

While conducting a premise check Aug. 19 at a building the city recently purchased in the 1500 block of Ellinwood Avenue, police discovered Ignacio Aguilar, 46, of Des Plaines, and Omar Ortiz, address unknown, laying in the north side bedroom on a mattress.

According to the report, the building had been boarded up for the past few months, and police observed that a wood panel had been pried off of a doorway on the second floor.

There were empty beer bottles and garbage all over the room. Aguilar and Ortiz told police they knew they were not allowed in the building, but denied prying the wood off the door.

Both were charged with trespassing and were given a court date of Sept. 19 at Skokie courthouse.

Cannabis Possession

Police conducted a traffic stop Aug. 19 in the 1600 block of Rand Road after a 1995 white Chevrolet Beretta was observed failing to yield to northbound traffic on Laurel Avenue.

According to the report, police stopped and approached the car, smelling the odor of cannabis smoke coming from the interior. When police questioned Zachary A. Lacey, 23, of Des Plaines, about the odor, he handed the officer a half-burnt cigar wrapper that he told police contained cannabis.

After Lacey exited the vehicle, police found a napkin with a green, leafy substance that later tested positive for marijuana. They also seized a tin foil pipe with burnt residue and a pair of brass knuckles.

Lacey was charged with possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is scheduled to appear at Skokie courthouse Sept. 19.

Woman Fails at Shoplifting

Police were dispatched to the Kmart in the 1100 block of Oakton Street for a report of retail theft Aug. 20.

According to the report, store personnel told police Maria Ponce, 39, of Des Plaines, was observed concealing a pair of sunglasses, barrettes and a container of blush on her person. She made a purchase at the cash register, but it did not include the hidden items.

Ponce was apprehended outside of the store. She was charged with petit theft and was given a court date of Oct. 4 at the Skokie courthouse.

Third Offense for DUI

Police conducted a vehicle stop for a traffic violation in the 2400 block of South River Road at 1:15 a.m. Aug. 21. According to the report, Richard Duz, 55, of Mount Prospect, was placed under arrest on a charge of driving under the influence (DUI).

Police determined through a routine database check that Duz had two prior DUI arrests. As a consequence, he was also charged with aggravated DUI as well as operating an uninsured motor vehicle and having unsafe equipment. He is scheduled to appear at Skokie courthouse Aug. 29.

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