Sleepy Drunken Driver Bites Joliet's Officer After Awakening: Cops

JOLIET, IL — On Saturday morning, Joliet police hauled away 22-year-old Keziah Ortiz after the young woman was passed out behind the wheel of her vehicle in the middle of a near-west side neighborhood, according to the arrest reports.

Ortiz then attacked the Joliet police during the incident, biting an officer's forearm and elbowing a second officer, according to the Joliet Police Department.

Ortiz was later released from Joliet police on her Notice to Appear for DUI, DUI – BAC .08 or More, aggravated battery to a peace officer and aggravated resisting a peace officer.

Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English said the events leading to Saturday morning's arrest of Ortiz started at 9:01 a.m., when Joliet police responded to the 800 block of Summit Street for a report of a Dodge Charger parked in the middle of the street with someone inside.

Officers found a woman, later identified as Ortiz, sleeping in the driver’s seat of the vehicle and woke her up.

According to police, officers detected an odor of cannabis coming from the vehicle and asked Ortiz to get out. In addition to having her vehicle smell like marijuana, Ortiz exhibited behaviors consistent with alcohol impairment, police said. But, officials said, she refused to undergo field sobriety tests and when Joliet police tried to place her into handcuffs, she began to pull away.

"While struggling with officers, Ortiz bit an Officer’s forearm and elbowed a different officer," English said.

Officers eventually took Ortiz into custody without further incident. The Joliet 22-year-old was also cited for parking where prohibited, operating an uninsured vehicle and failure to carry her driver’s license.