Sparks Fly as Driver is Charged with DUI: Blotter

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

Lotion Thief Strikes CVS

A man is wanted for taking 11 bottles of Avino lotion, totaling $118.89, from CVS, 11 E. 14th St., according to a report. An employee saw the thief leave with his pockets stuffed full of store items. He climbed into a black Jeep and was driven away by another man. Police were unable to find the Jeep in the area.

Rims, Bike Go Missing

Four, 16-inch aluminum rims and a mountain bike were stolen out of a fenced backyard in the 200 block of East 24th Street, according to a report. The total value of the items taken is estimated at $500.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

Driver Jumps Median, Causes Sparks to Fly

John M. Fantasia, 32, of the 100 block of East Joe Orr Road in Chicago Heights, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, DUI with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.08, improper lane use, driving without insurance and driving with an expired license, according to a report. Police stopped Fantasia's 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix at about 11:48 p.m. near the intersection of 12th Street and Halsted Avenue. The car had jumped the median, nearly hit a police car and threw sparks as it continued down the center of the road. An officer reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol on the driver's breath. He was arrested after performing field sobriety tests and took a breath test while in police custody.

Marijuana Possession Charge

Ronall E. Wright, 52, of the 16400 block of Maryland Avenue, South Holland, was charged with possession of marijuana and being intoxicated in the roadway, according to a report. He is accused of having 0.8 grams of marijuana on him when he was stopped at about 3:47 p.m. Wright told police he had been drinking all day in the 1300 block of Halsted Avenue. He is due in Markham court on May 13.

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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.