Crime & Safety

Sparks Flew for Driver Charged with DUI: Weird Crimes

Car stolen with keys in the ignition • 'Slow motion' driver charged with DUI ... This week's roundup of weird crime news in the Southland.

'Slow-Mo' Driver Charged With DUI

April 21: Maybe Nathaniel Leavitt thought he was in The Matrix. Police stopped Leavitt at about 1:19 a.m. near 183rd Street and Dixie Highway after police saw him failing to come to a complete stop at an intersection, according to the report. Leavitt moved as though he was in "slow motion," police said, and they smelled alcohol.

Leavitt, 33, of the 3700 block of 168th Street, Country Club Hills, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to provide proof of insurance, failing to yield at an intersection and failing to notify the Secretary of State of an address change, according to a report. He is due in Markham court on May 20.

Read more on Homewood-Flossmoor Patch

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Car Stolen with Keys in the Ignition

April 18: A car left outside of Speedway, 18002 Halsted St., was stolen, according to a report. The owner told police he parked near the entrance to the gas station at about noon and left the keys in the ignition. When he returned, his car was gone.

Read more on Homewood-Flossmoor Patch

Find out what's happening in Oak Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sparks Fly as Driver is Charged with DUI

April 14: Police stopped a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix at about 11:48 p.m. near the intersection of 12th Street and Halsted Avenue, according to police. The car had jumped the median, nearly hit a police car and threw sparks as it continued down the center of the road. An officer reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol on the driver's breath.

John M. Fantasia, 32, of the 100 block of East Joe Orr Road in Chicago Heights, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, DUI with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.08, improper lane use, driving without insurance and driving with an expired license, according to a report.

Fantasia was arrested after performing field sobriety tests and took a breath test while in police custody, according to a report.

Read more on Chicago Heights Patch

 

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