Restaurant Disturbance, Airsoft Guns: Elmhurst Cops

ELMHURST, IL — In the last few days, Elmhurst police have handled cases involving a restaurant disturbance, airsoft guns, a person threatening a store's employees, a shed fire, road rage, a theft of whiskey, a drug arrest and a gift card scam, among others. Here is information from the latest police reports:

Restaurant disturbance

• A man caused a disturbance shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday at 100 South Chop House and Grill, 100 S. York St. After ordering a drink at the bar, the man approached a table of patrons and made offensive statements. The restaurant wanted the man to be given a no-trespass notice. He was gone by the time officers arrived. An officer said he would follow up and serve the man with a notice.

Airsoft issue

• Police received a report that two youths were pointing an orange-tipped airsoft rifle at people at 6 p.m. Tuesday near Starbucks, 164 N. York St. The officers spoke with the youths and found one of them to have an airsoft rifle and an airsoft pistol in his backpack. They said they were showing the guns to their friends. Their parents requested the officers confiscate and destroy both airsoft guns. The items were placed into evidence for destruction. The youths were referred to the Peer Jury program.

Domestic disturbance

• A domestic disturbance happened about 10 p.m. Monday in the 400 block of North West Avenue. A woman said her boyfriend threatened her and was attempting to enter the house. The man said he was at the house to retrieve personal items and that she was denying him access to the house. The man agreed to leave and not return.

Threatening employees

• Police were called about 7:30 p.m. Monday to AT&T, 291 N. York St., about a person who was in the business using profane language and threatening to harm employees. The suspect was served with a no-trespass order and released.

Story doesn't add up

• A person reported that someone cracked his car's windshield and stole a parking sticker about 10 a.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of South Grace Avenue. The officer did not see any visible adhesive residue where the purported parking pass would have been. Elmhurst University told police the caller had not received a parking sticker since 2017.

Shed fire

• Firefighters and officers responded to a garden shed fire about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Melrose Avenue. Rags containing gasoline were believed to have caused the fire. No one was injured.

Road rage

• Police responded to a road rage incident about 11 a.m. Monday at Route 83 and Belden Avenue. The victim reported that during a traffic altercation, the suspect brandished what he believed was a handgun. The suspect left before an officer arrived. The case is pending an investigation.

Stealing whiskey

• A man placed four bottles of Jameson whiskey into his backpack and left Mariano's, 678 N. York St., about 7 p.m. Tuesday. Video surveillance shows the man headed south on foot across Industrial Drive. Officers could not find him. He was described as white, 25 years old, 5-foot-9, having blond hair and blue or green eyes, carrying a black backpack, having a large tattoo on his right calf, and wearing a black baseball cap and denim shorts.

Expelled student causes problems

• Elmhurst University, 190 Prospect Ave., told police Tuesday it has had many incidents with a man who was expelled in 2019. The university requested a no-trespass notice be issued to the man and his mother. The man and his mother left the property.

Gift card scam

• A resident in the 300 block of North Larch Avenue told police that two people contacted him through social media requesting that he buy gift cards and supply the information along with a copy of the resident's driver's license. The victim complied with the request and later learned he had been the victim of a scam.

Fleeing officers

• David Ohene Sarpong, 19, of Bolingbrook, was arrested about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Route 83 and North on charges of fleeing or eluding officers, reckless driving, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, failure to signal, driving on the shoulder of the roadway, speeding and tinted windows. He was released on bond. According to a police report, an officer saw Sarpong commit several traffic violations. The man refused to stop and sped away. During a phone conversation with the officer, the man admitted to the violations. He went to the police station.

Drug possession

• Bryant B. Strauss, 31, of Villa Park, was arrested about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Charles and Fair on charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, driving with a suspended license, possession of marijuana by a driver, expired registration and tinted windows. He was taken to the DuPage County Jail.

Bail bond violation

• Isaac Flores, 40, of Elmhurst, was arrested about 12:30 a.m. Monday in the 500 block of West Babcock on a violation of a bail bond. He was taken to the DuPage County Jail. According to a police report, he had returned to the residence where he was arrested on a domestic battery charge the day before.

DUI

• Priscilla P. Bakos, 43, of Bensenville, was arrested about 1 a.m. Wednesday at York and Diversey on charges of DUI (drugs), operating an uninsured motor vehicle and improper lane usage. She was released on bond.

Bike thefts

• A silver and yellow Nishiki Pueblo boy's mountain bike was stolen between 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday while it was left unattended near Southtown Hot Dogs, 103 E. Vallette St.
• An unsecured black and red Schwinn Circuit bicycle was stolen at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday while it was left unattended at Pioneer Park, 517 Mitchell Ave.
• A resident in the 700 block of South Kent Avenue reported at 11 a.m. Monday that a black Trek brand bicycle was removed from an unsecured garage attached to a house.

Driving violations

• Travis E. Miller, 42, of Elmhurst, was cited about 5:30 p.m. Monday at St. Charles and West on charges of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and failure to provide information at a property damage accident. He was released on bond.
• Henry Ramos-Tomas, 23, of Bensenville, was cited about 8 p.m. Monday at York and Grand on charges of no valid driver's license, operating an uninsured vehicle and speeding. He was released on bond.
• Linda L. Battaglia, 72, of Chicago, was cited about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 300 block of Myrtle on charges of failure to notify an owner upon striking an unattended vehicle and improper backing. She was released on bond.
• Michael Urgiles Perez, 18, of Chicago, was cited about 9 p.m. Friday at Villa and North on charges of no valid driver's license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and improper lane usage. He was released on bond.
• Jose M. Hernandez, 34, of Chicago, was cited about 1 a.m. Thursday at Route 83 and North on charges of no valid driver's license and speeding. He was released on bond.
• Kevin Vassar-Bell, 36, of Addison, was cited about 2 a.m. Monday at Lake and Route 83 on charges of driving with a suspended license, tinted windows and expired registration. He was released on 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.