South Suburban DUI Arrests, Dec. 23

EVERGREEN PARK

DEC. 9: A Chicago man is facing a host of charges after police say he was stopped while fleeing the scene of an accident. On Sunday, Dec. 9 at 6:20 p.m. police say that China Miller, 36, of Chicago, was driving in the 9500 block of Trumbull when he he crossed the center lane line and struck a parked car. 

A woman who witnessed the accident then flagged down police after Miller drove away. The car Miller was driving was eventually stopped in the 10400 block of Western Avenue as he was traveling at 70 miles per hour, police said. 

In the backseat was a child under the age of six who was not secured and in the front of the car was an open bottle of Ciroc vodka, police said. Miller refused a breath test and became combative with officers, according to the report. 

He was charged with fleeing and alluding, driving under the influence, failure to report an accident, reckless driving, speeding, driving without insurance, driving on a revoked license, driving with open alcohol, not properly securing a child and driving through a red light. 

OAK FOREST

DEC. 16: Kathleen Bucholz, 53, of the 1500 block of W. 187th Street, Homewood, was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, no driver's license on person, DUI, no insurance and DUI over .08, following an accident at the intersection of 159th Street and Cicero Avenue on Sunday, Dec. 16.

Police arrived on the scene and found Bucholz and the victim standing near their vehicles. Officers had both parties get back in their vehicles and move to a parking lot near the scene of the accident. While Bucholz was attempting to drive to the parking lot, officers noted that she nearly backed into their squad car and only stopped after officers honked their horn.

In the parking lot, officers spoke with Bucholz and noticed alcohol on her breath. Bucholz initially told officers that she wasn't drinking, but later admitted to having a few glasses of wine with her mother earlier in the evening. 

Officers then spoke with the victim, who said they were at a red light, when Bucholz drove into them.

Police had Bucholz perform standard field sobriety tests, during which time they asked if Bucholz was on any medications. She replied that she was not on any medications. Officers attempted to have Bucholz give a breath sample at the scene, but she refused and was taken into custody.

At the Oak Forest Police Station, Bucholz submitted to a breath sample, blowing a .203. She was then processed and released on bond, pending a court date of Jan. 2, 2013.

ORLAND PARK

NOV. 20: Police were called about a two-car car accident in the 7100 block of 159th Street around 5:45 p.m. A woman told police she was driving west on 159th Street when the light at Harlem Avenue turned green, and was rear-ended while she started driving through, police said. Police smelled alcohol on the breath of the man responsible for the accident, and the man couldn’t explain what happened, according to the report. The man first denied drinking, but later admitted to it and failed field sobriety tests, police said. Adrian S. Pisczek, 19, of the 14700 block of Montgomery Drive in Orland Park, was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, driving an uninsured vehicle and driving under the influence of alcohol.

PALOS HEIGHTS

DEC. 9: Melody H. Paraf, 48, of the 6000 block of Brookwood Drive in Oak Forest, was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash, according to a police report. Paraf was involved in a two-car crash at about 5:30 p.m. near 13500 S. Ridgeland Ave. She took field sobriety tests, which she allegedly failed. Paraf was booked and given a $1,500 bond

DEC. 6: Frank Gomez, 27, of the 10200 block of South Hyland in Chicago Ridge, was charged with two counts of driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and improper lane use, according to a police report. Police said Gomez’s vehicle was stopped at about 3:30 a.m. near 11900 S. Harlem Ave. He was arrested after allegedly failing sobriety tests.

DEC. 5: Magdalena K. Pomorska, 29, of the 10600 block of South Southwest Highway in Worth, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without a license, driving without insurance, illegally transporting alcohol and speeding, according to a report. Police stopped a vehicle that was reportedly speeding at about 1:57 a.m. near 11900 S. Harlem Ave. The driver, Pomorska, allegedly failed sobriety tests. She was booked and given a $3,000 bond.

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.