NLPD: Passed Out Felon Had Loaded Gun In Car

NEW LENOX, IL - On Sunday morning, shortly before 6:30 a.m., a New Lenox police officer on routine patrol was dispatched to a stop light at the intersection of Route 30 and Gougar Road. The call concerned a man slumped behind the wheel. It was Dominique Woodard, 27, of Joliet.

"The officer located the vehicle at 6:21 a.m. and made contact with the driver who was asleep at the wheel," New Lenox Police reports show.

Woodard was asleep at the traffic light with his foot resting on the brake pedal, New Lenox Police Deputy Chief Louis Alessandrini told Patch on Tuesday morning.

"Upon investigation, the officer learned that the driver, Woodard, had a suspended driver's license and a loaded handgun in the vehicle."

At the scene, officers initially suspected that Woodard was under the influence. They made him exit his car and perform field sobriety tests, which he passed, Alessandrini said.

"He said he was returning home from a wedding," Alessandrini said, adding that Woodard was the only occupant.

As officers were inventorying the car, prior to having it towed, they found a semiautomatic handgun inside of Woodard's glove box, Alessandrini said.

"By that time, he was already in custody; luckily he never made any motion toward his glove box."

Aside from having the loaded gun, Alessandrini said the situation at the stop light could have been dangerous for other motorists in New Lenox.

Alessandrini mentioned that the car did roll forward once the defendant took his foot off the brake after the officers arrived to wake him up from his deep sleep.

According to New Lenox Police, Woodard now faces criminal charges of unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon as well as driving while his license was suspended.

Woodard resides in the 300 block of Joliet's Briggs Street. Woodard has previous convictions for weapons offenses, Alessandrini said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Woodard remained back in the Will County Jail where his bail was set at $30,000. He also spent time in the county jail in April after Joliet Police officers arrested Woodard on five criminal charges, mostly related to dealing marijuana, possessing marijuana and resisting the arrest.

Image via Will County Sheriff