Southland crime: Police chase in Orland Park, arson in Homer Glen, and more

The following items were taken from police and court reports and news releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.

Alsip

BUSINESS BURGLARY: A man entered Dotty’s, 12262 Pulaski Road, April 13, through the glass front door he smashed, took an undisclosed amount of cash from a video gambling machine and damaging another machine in an attempt to get cash, police said.

Bridgeview

ILLEGAL GUN: Rani K. Rafati, 31, Chicago Ridge,  was accused of unlawful possession of a weapon after officers recovered a stolen .40 caliber handgun during a pre-tow inventory of his tow truck, police said.

Burbank

VEHICULAR ASSAULT: Jacob J. Brown, 26, 9500 block of Debbie Lane, Orland Park, was charged with aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, criminal damage to government property, resisting arrest and  fleeing/attempting to elude a police officer after repeatedly hitting two squad cars and a parked car April 18 in the 7900 block of Mansfield Avenue while driving away from a suspicious-vehicle investigation in the 8000 block of Mansfield Avenue, police said. Brown, who left the car, was apprehended on Oak Park Avenue near 78th Street, police said. Tiffany L. Mendiola, 31, 7800 block of Rutherford Avenue, Burbank, was charged with three counts of aggravated battery to a police officer and Jay M. Gorel, 27, 12600 block of Rail Lane, Palos Park, was arrested and accused of resisting arrest/causing injuries and obstructing a police officer, police said.

Crete

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY: A Joliet man found fit to stand trial on charges of attempted residential burglary, theft and trespassing, was booked Tuesday into the Will County jail and remains in custody, according to sheriff’s and Will County court records online. Law enforcement officers initially arrested Landres T. Thompson, 41, formerly of Monee, March 7, 2023, after he entered two homes on Richton Road and one home on Dorsetshire Drive, court records show.

Evergreen Park

RESTAURANT BURGLARIES: A cash register containing $600 was stolen from Dunkin’, 9601 Pulaski Road, and a cash register containing $150 was stolen from the Slice Factory, 9607 Pulaski Road, April 8 after glass front doors were shattered, police said.

Homer Glen

ARSON CHARGED:  Nathan J. Grant, 32, Wheaton, is charged with aggravated arson for allegedly setting fire to a door display April 18 at Menard’s, 13956 Bell Road, Will County court records show. Grant, who remains incarcerated in the county jail, placed cotton balls soaked in an inflammable liquid between interior wooden doors displayed in the store and then set the balls on fire, damaging 10 doors and the carpet, sheriff’s police said.

BATTERY CHARGED: Former Bridgeview resident William F. Chalifoux, 67, is scheduled to appear at a pre-trial hearing April 25 on a charge of aggravated battery to a person older than 60, according to Will County court records online. Chalifoux, now of Watertown, Wisconsin, inappropriately touched and held a customer while in her kitchen after completing annual sprinkler maintenance at her home, sheriff’s police said. He was charged in February 2023, and arraigned two months later, but failed to appear at subsequent hearings, court records show.

Joliet

AGGRAVATED BATTERY: A New Lenox man was accused of two counts of aggravated battery to a police officer after spitting in the face of a correctional officer in the Will County jail and then biting an emergency response team member’s thigh April 14, sheriff’s police said. Gabriel Jaramillo, 30, 400 block of Navajo Drive, was being detained in a holding cell pending a court date on charges of aggravated assault and institutional vandalism, sheriff’s police said.

Oak Lawn

ILLEGAL GUN: Jason R. Weidner, 42, Tenaha, Texas, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon during an April 14 traffic stop in the 9400 block of Cicero Avenue after an officer recovered a 9 mm handgun loaded with three bullets and determined Weidner lacked a concealed-carry license, police said.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT: Sergio Amezcua, 67, of 49th Court, Oak Lawn, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon April 17 in the 9200 block of 49th Court after arguing with neighbors with a loaded 9 mm handgun in a pocket and no concealed carry license, police said.

AGGRAVATED CARJACKING: The driver of a Nissan Rogue told police that four men in a small sedan curbed his vehicle in the 8800 block of Central Avenue around 3:35 a.m. April 19 and ordered him out at gunpoint.

Orland Park

FELONY THEFT: Julio C. Aguirre Rodriguez, 27, was charged with felony theft April 8 during an investigation that began with a suspicious-person call from Ulta Beauty, 15754 La Grange Road, Orland Park, police said. Officers stopped Aguirre  Rodriguez for driving without registration plates and saw 13 perfume testers valued at $1,698 along with three packaged perfumes and clothing collectively selling for $1,014, in his vehicle, police said. He was also charged with possessing fraudulent identification relating to a driver’s license belonging to a 19-year-old woman that had been modified with his information, police said.

Palos Heights

ARMED ROBBERY: A Chicago man is scheduled to appear in Cook County court in Bridgeview Tuesday, charged with armed robbery/firearm and aggravated kidnapping/firearm, according to police and the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. Anthony Williams, 45, brandished a .38 caliber handgun April 9 at the AT&T store, 11901 Harlem Ave., but didn’t physically hurt the two employees he forced into a back room, police said. Williams temporarily escaped through a window when police responded to an alarm the manager activated, police said.

Park Forest

AGGRAVATED BATTERY: Daniel C. Cantave, 32, first block of Woodland Glen, Park Forest, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery after punching a teen in the face on the first block of Monee Road,  according to police and Will County court records online. Cantave was taking a walk when he encountered the teen waiting for a bus, police said.

South Holland

SHOOTING: A person described only as a male was shot in the leg April 8 after an altercation that started at the north end of Van Oostenbrugge Park, police said. The victim walked several blocks to Cottage Grove and Gouwens Lane, where officers found him, police said.