South Suburban DUI Arrests, June 23

Compiled by Nick Swedberg, Patch Field Editor

HOMEWOOD

June 16: Jacqueline Hughes, 34, of the 100 block of Parkside Avenue, Chicago Heights, was charged with driving under the influence, speeding, driving with a suspended license and driving without insurance, according to a report. 

Police spotted Hughes at about 1:53 a.m., traveling 51 mph in a 30 mph zone in the 18900 block of Dixie Highway. An officer reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol coming from her breath, and she initially gave a false name to the officer, the report stated. During the stop, police found a stun gun in the car, according to the report. 

Officers confiscated the stun gun and cited her for both the gun and for obstructing police when she allegedly gave the fake name.

Hughes is due on July 24 in Markham court.

EVERGREEN PARK

June 8: Tjuana Whatley-Conner, 49, of the 1500 block of West 119th Street, Chicago, was charged with driving under the influence, DUI with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08, failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and improper lane use, according to a report. 

Whatley-Conner was stopped at about 2:14 a.m. in the 2400 block of 95th Street. An officer had just finished another traffic stop when a car, driven by Whatley-Conner, nearly hit him before swerving away. 

When Whatley-Conner was stopped, police could smell an odor of alcohol on her. She was asked to perform field sobriety tests, after which she was arrested. While in custody, she took a breath test that resulted in a 0.13.

PALOS HEIGHTS

June 17: Dina A. Piegari, 52, of the 8800 block of South Harlem Avenue, Bridgeview, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, DUI with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08 and speeding, according to a report.

Police stopped Piegari at about 12:03 a.m. in the 6700 block of College Drive, a Palos Heights police report states. Officers observed Piegari speeding, and she allegedly showed signs of being under the influence during the stop.

Piegari was arrested after taking field sobriety tests, the report states. Bail was set at $3,000. Piegari is due on July 26 in Bridgeview court.

May 31: A Worth man is accused of driving while on drugs after police found him stopped in the road.

Noberto Vazquez, Jr., 21, of the 10700 block of South Lloyd Drive, Worth, was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, driving with a suspended license and other traffic offenses, according to a Palos Heights police report. 

Officers allegedly found Noberto at about 7:18 p.m., in the 13200 block of South Ridgeland Avenue. A caller told police a car was stopped in the road and impeding traffic.

Police determined Noberto was under the influence of drugs, the report states. Bail was set at $3,000. Noberto was due on June 17 in Bridgeview court.

CHICAGO HEIGHTS

June 7: Lamar Johnson, 58, of the 1100 block of Center Court, Homewood, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, DUI with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08 and speeding, according to a report. 

Johnson was pulled over for speeding at about 12:35 a.m., near the intersection of 14th Street and D'Amico Drive. Police said the driver had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, and he allegedly told police he "had a few drinks" that night, according to the report.

Police asked Johnson to perform field sobriety tests, after which he was arrested, according to the report. While in custody, he submitted to a breath test which showed a result of 0.134.

Johnson is due on July 2 in Markham court.

June 6: Jose Eliseo Flores, 24, of the first block of East 13th Street, Chicago Heights, was charged with driving under the influence, DUI with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08, improper lane use, failing to signal and failing to wear a seat belt, according to a report. 

Police stopped Flores at about 1:11 a.m., near the intersection of 16th Street and Chicago Road after spotting his car cross the road lines without signaling. While speaking with the driver, police noticed that he had bloodshot eyes and an odor of alcohol.

Flores performed field sobriety test and, after being arrested, took a breath test, according to the report. The result was 0.197.

He is due on July 29 in Markham court.

NEW LENOX

June 16: Gerardo Diaz, 19, of the 100 block of Hickory Road, New Lenox, was charged with driving under the influence and failing to signal, according to a report. He was stopped at about 3:35 a.m., near the intersection of Central Road and Siesta Drive for failing to signal. Police allegedly discovered that the Diaz was under the influence of alcohol and arrested him. He posted bond and was released.

June 16: Kevin Karafiat, 22, of the 1200 block of Green Street, New Lenox, was charged with driving under the influence, speeding and having an expired registration, according to a report. Police stopped Karafiat at about 4:12 a.m., near the intersection of Cedar and Michigan roads after he was allegedly spotted speeding and driving with expired registration. Police determined he was under the influence of alcohol and arrested him. Karafiat posted bond and was released.

June 15: William Hosman, 39, of the 1800 block of Heatherway, New Lenox, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding, according to a report. Police stopped Hosman at about 12:58 a.m., in the 1800 block of Heatherway for speeding. The officer who stopped him allegedly found him to be under the influence. Hosman posted bond and was released.

Police report information is provided by local police departments. 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.

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