Dangerous Date Ends with Unwanted Touching, Arrest: Police

River Forest, IL - A woman on a date with a man she'd just met had to call 911 from the confines of a "bear hug" when her suitor turned out to be less than chivalrous.

River Forest police were called to the 400 block of Lathrop around 4:35 p.m. May 16 to help the 28-year-old woman break free from her dangerous date.

The woman said she'd used an online dating service to arrange the outing with Jason G. Stivers, 28 of Forest Park, police reported.

Stivers and the woman decided to walk to a grocery store to buy a bottle of wine to share, but she began to feel uneasy when he tried to hold her hand. She really didn't know him like that.

In a classic move women everywhere have used to escape many a creepy man, the woman contacted one of her friends to bail her out of this increasingly alarming situation with a phone call about a phony family emergency.

The woman and Stivers were walking back to her car when the friend came through with the phone call, and she told Stivers she had to leave. But first, police reported, Stivers wanted a hug.

But Stivers wasn't interested in a polite, one-armed embrace with this woman he just met. He went in for the kiss, though she recoiled and tried to walk away. Stivers blocked her from leaving and wrapped his arms around her from behind, and he refused to let go, police reported. The woman reached her phone, called her friend and asked them to contact police.

Stivers pushed the woman up against her car, and he assaulted her and "engaged in unwanted contact" as she called 911 from her cell phone, police reported.

When Stivers realized police were on their way, he let go of the woman and fled. Police found him near his home in Forest Park, and the woman identified him as her attacker. 

Police found an 11-inch butcher knife, a plastic jump rope and suspected narcotics in his backpack — not exactly the picnic one might hope a gentleman would pack for your first date.

Stivers was charged with unlawful restraint, aggravated battery and possession of controlled substances, police reported. He has a court appearance set for June 9 at the Cook County 4th District Courthouse.

“I commend the victim, officers, investigators, and State’s Attorney’s Office for their cooperation and hard work getting this daring offender in custody and for securing felony charges," said Deputy Chief James O’Shea in a statement. "At this time, the River Forest Police Department would ask anyone using an online dating service to review the safety precautions recommended by the vendor, not let their guard down, use common sense, utilize public places for meets and use the buddy system to make your whereabouts known or to seek real time advice.”

Photo courtesy of Riverside police.