Accused Drunken Driver Gives Police a Stare Down

A 31-year-old man from Park Forest was apparently speechless when police pulled him over on Feb. 4.

Damen L. Ingram, of the 23400 block of Western Avenue in Park Forest was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after police stopped him near the intersection of Euclid and Main Street for turning without signaling, according to the report.

When asked for his license and proof of insurance, Ingram silently stared at the officer, police said. Asked a second time, Ingram handed police his identification card, then went back to staring with a blank expression. The officer clarified that he needed Ingram's driver's license, not a state ID, and Ingram handed him his license. Police could smell alcohol on his breath, according to the report.

The officer then noticed a plastic bag, containing a "crushed green leafy substance," in a tray between the seats and asked Ingram to hand it over.

"It's just a little bit," Ingram told police. "I haven't even smoked yet.

Police then had Ingram take field sobriety tests, one of which involved standing on one leg. While performing the test Ingram counted aloud, "One-thousand two, one-thousand three, one-thousand three, one-thousand three, one-thousand five," according to the report. He then put his foot down and said, "That's it." Ingram was taken into custody, falling a sleep on the way to the police station, according to the report. 

Ingram racked up additional charges of failing to signal when required, speeding and no proof of insurance, police said. The green substance tested positive for cannabis, according to the report.

Ingram is scheduled to appear at Markham Courthouse on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

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Police report information is provided by the Chicago Heights Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. 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.