3 Guns Seized, 3 Arrests On Ohio Street: Police

JOLIET, IL — Joliet police arrested three men in their early 20s early Monday morning following a traffic stop that led to a scuffle, the deployment of a police taser and the recovery of three handguns from inside a car, according to police.

Joliet police say 20-year-old city resident Gregory Keaton faces charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of ammunition, aggravated battery to a peace officer, having no FOID and resisting arrest.

Derik Chandler, 21, of Joliet, and 21-year-old Omari Ferguson of Crest Hill, were both with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of ammunition, having no FOID and resisting arrest, according to police.

The traffic stop that led to the three arrests occurred shortly after 1:10 a.m. near the intersection of Ohio and North Chicago Streets. Ferguson was driving, police said.

"Officers noted the occupants appeared to be attempting to conceal items within the vehicle," police reports show. "Officers requested that Ferguson exit the vehicle, to which he repeatedly refused. Ferguson continued to refuse to exit the vehicle, at which time he shoved an officer’s hand away from the vehicle door."

Ferguson tried to put his car into drive and flee the area after Joliet police told him he was under arrest, according to police.

"After Ferguson still refused to exit the vehicle numerous times after being given a lawful order, he was taken into custody after a brief struggle with officers," Sgt. Dwayne English noted.

As officers were struggling with Ferguson, Keaton was in the backseat and grabbed onto an officer’s arm to block officers away from Ferguson," police reports show. "Keaton refused to exit the vehicle and physically struggled with officers."

Joliet police officers deployed a taser to subdue Keaton and arrest him, police said. Chandler got out of the car as the officers asked him to do, and didn't cause any problems, police advised.

Joliet police searched the car and found two guns under Ferguson's driver's seat and one gun under a passenger's seat, police said.

"All three arrestees were interviewed and acknowledged ownership of the handguns," police said.

The three young men have all been booked into the Will County Jail, police noted.