Bob Hernandez Arrested Again By Joliet Police, Now He's In Jail

JOLIET, IL — For the second time in less than three weeks, Joliet's Robert Gregory "Bob" Hernandez was taken away in handcuffs by Joliet police and by late Wednesday night, Hernandez was spending his Valentine's Day inside his new cell at Will County's Jail.

Joliet Patch discovered that whatever medical ordeal Hernandez claimed he had that required his admittance at the Ascension St. Joe's hospital was nothing of serious consequence. At 10:31 p.m., Hernandez was booked into the Will County Jail, where he will stay indefinitely now.

Three hours earlier, Joliet police announced that Hernandez was arrested by their officers and processed for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of an order of protection. Hernandez comes from the 800 block of Westminster Road, which is right off Black Road.

Earlier Wednesday, Hernandez appeared at the Will County Courthouse, pro se, or without a lawyer, to learn that his Chrysler 200 car will remain at a secured police impound lot. The car was seized by Joliet police back on the night of Jan. 26 after Hernandez's first arrest.

Last week, RightWay Auto Sales, 1705 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet, posted a photo of Hernandez standing in front of a banana-yellow colored Jeep on its Facebook page, announcing, "Congratulations to Robert from Joliet on buying a New 2015 Jeep Renegade at RightWay!"

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, the following events resulted in the Valentine's Day arrest for Hernandez, who turns 63 this year:

At 12:38 p.m., Joliet police saw Hernandez driving a Jeep Altitude on South Reed Street approaching West Jefferson Street, driving past, and looking at a house on South Reed Street.

According to English, the officer had prior knowledge that Hernandez is listed as respondent of a temporary order of protection which prohibits Hernandez to be within 1,000 feet of the home or contact its resident. The resident was believed to be home at this time.

Joliet police conducted a traffic stop on the Jeep in the parking lot of Fenton’s Motel at 2305 W. Jefferson. Hernandez was the driver, and he was taken into custody without incident.

During a search of the yellow Jeep, English said Joliet police recovered suspected crack cocaine and a glass pipe used for smoking drugs.

The Jeep was towed from the scene, just like Hernandez's other car from his Jan. 26 arrest.

According to English, while Hernandez was being processed at the Joliet Police Department, he indicated he was suffering from a medical issue, and he was taken to Ascension St Joseph Medical Center by a Joliet Fire Department ambulance.

As of 7:20 p.m., Hernandez remained hospitalized at the time of this press release, English announced.

As for the stalking no-contact order that Will County Judge Tom Slazyk put in effect last week, Hernandez is prohibited from having any contact with a Joliet household in the Reedwood Neighborhood, including a mother, her 19-year-old son and her 17-year-old daughter.

In late October, the 19-year-old tried to take out his own protection order against Hernandez, declaring in Will County court records, "I am requesting an order of protection against Robert because I'm going through an addiction, and he enables me. I've had to do a lot of sexual favors for him and don't want to do that anymore. I was out of rehab for five days and Robert made me relapse."

As Joliet Patch has previously reported, Hernandez has been known around Joliet for his Facebook livestreams from crime scenes and traffic crashes over the years. Up until 2022, Hernandez also occasionally shared his photos from Joliet area police incidents with Patch. Over the years, he was a frequent public speaker at Joliet City Council meetings.

In response to the Hernandez arrest, one Joliet Patch reader named Paul received three dozen Facebook Likes and Loves in two hours time after posting the following remark on the Joliet Patch Facebook page: "Would have been hilarious if somebody rolled up and started video with their cell phone. Making all the same type of stupid repetitive commentary, 'Joliet police, who do a great job by the way, have an individual pulled over on south Reed St., near Jefferson. Police are doing a great job.

"The police are doing a great job questioning this individual that they have pulled over. I'm here on south Reed St, near Jefferson, where the Joliet police, who do a great job, are questioning a person they pulled over here, on south Reed st, near Jefferson. The Joliet police are doing a great job here on south Reed St, near Jefferson, where they have a car pulled over..."

In any event, days after his late January arrest by Joliet police, Hernandez posted on Facebook:"Today in the Joliet Patch a story appeared that I was arrested for having a narcotic in my car. This was true. I asked Joliet officers to take me to (an) area hospital to be tested for narcotics in my body, and they refused. I pointed out my back window had been busted out for about a week or more covered with plastic and my car has been left unlocked because of the plastic covering my window."