Feuding Neighbors in Snow Shovel Showdown: Midlothian Blotter

SATURDAY, FEB. 23

Failure to Stop Leads to Pot Bust

Nicholas G. Koziokas, 27, of the 5200 block of W. Oakdale Drive, Oak Lawn, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of cannabis, he was issued citations for disobeyed a stop sign and operation of uninsured motor vehicle, following a stop in the 14500 block S. Cicero Avenue.

Police stopped Koziokas after witnessing him fail to stop completely at a stop sign at the corner of 145^th Street and Cicero Avenue.

Officers noticed a strong odor of cannabis coming from Koziokas' car and asked him about the smell. Koziokas told officers he had no cannabis in the car and allowed officers to search his car, according to the report.

In the center car, officers found a black, glass pipe with burnt cannabis residue. While searching Koziokas, officers also found a clear plastic baggie in his coat pocket containing a green, leafy substance that field tested positive as 6 grams of cannabis, according to the report.

Koziokas was taken into custody, transported to the Midlothian Police Department and charged, before being released on bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 5 in the Markham Courthouse.

Kids In the Backseat Not Buckled Up

Willie E. Harper, 24, of the 6500 block of S. Yale Avenue, Chicago, was charged with driving while license suspended, operation of an uninsured motor vehicle, speeding over the posted limit and cited for failure to secure a child under the age of 8, following a traffic stop in the 14700 block of Knox Avenue.

Police stopped Harper after witnessing him change lanes from a turn lane to a westbound traffic lane without signaling and driving 45 mph in a 35 mph zone.

During the traffic stop, Harper told officers his license was issued in the state of California, but did not have it with him. A check of Harper's license status showed that it was suspended for failure to pay fines since June 2011, according to the report.

While speaking with Harper, officers noted two children in the backseat, a 1-year-old boy and a 4-year-old boy, neither of which was secured with a carseat, booster seat or seat belt.

Police took Harper into custody and allowed him to call a family member to pick up the children. Harper was then taken to the Midlothian Police Department, where he was processed and assigned a court date of April 5 in the Markham Courthouse, before being released on bond.

FRIDAY, FEB. 22

Neighbors Continue to Fued

Police were called to a neighbor disturbance at in the 14400 block of S. Keating Avenue, after reports of two neighbors yelling at each other.

Two men admitted to being in a longstanding feud for the past several years.

One suspect said that while he was shoveling his driveway, his neighbor became angry because the other man was pushing snow onto his lawn, according to the report. The second subject then began calling the first racial slurs and calling the other's wife derogatory names.

The second man, who also had a snow shovel in his hands, then began walking at a brisk pace towards the first subject. The first man admitted to officers that he then struck the second subject in the head with his snow shovel, fearing the second subject would harm him.

Police then spoke to the second subject, who admitted to using racial slurs and derogatory terms towards the other man and his wife. He also admitted to confronting the first man about the snow being pushed on his lawn.

Both parties refused to sign complains against the other and police told both parties to call officers if something like this occurred again.

Police Blotter information is provided by the Midlothian Police Department. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken 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.