Burbank Man Charged With DUI Forgot Gun Was In the Car: POLICE

A Burbank man caught police officers’ attention they saw his green Ford F150 pickup screeching down Ridgeland Avenue down 95th Street, reports said.

Oak Lawn police caught up with the truck Ridgeland Avenue and 87th Street around 3:02 a.m. Dec. 7.

The driver, identified as Richard P. Karnoski, 42, of the 8300 block of South Mulligan Avenue in Burbank, already had his driver’s licence in his hand when officers approached the truck, police said.

Karnoski allegedly told police that he was driving home from a bar, where he had stayed for approximately 45 minutes.

Officers said that Karnoski’s eyes appeared droopy and glassy, his speech was slurred and he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath.

He denied that he’d been drinking and said the odor was “chocolate,” reports said.

Asked to step out of the truck, Karnoski allegedly refused to take any “drunk tests.” Police said he agreed to recite the alphabet, but did not do it correctly. He also refused to take preliminary breath test, the officers said.

Karnoski was taken into custody for DUI and aggravated speeding and placed in back of the squad car. Police said that Karnoski was wanted in Mason County for failure to appear in court for a traffic offense.

While searching Karnoski’s truck, officers found a semi-automatic pistol underneath the front seat loaded with six live rounds, police said.

According to the report, Karnoski told police that his girlfriend had broken up with him that afternoon and asked him to take his gun. A few minutes later, he told them he misspoke and said that he was the one who initiated the breakup and forget that he had put the gun under the front seat.

Karnoski refused to sign a police statement and asked for his attorney.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office approved a felony charge for aggravated unlawful use of weapon. Karnoski was also charged with DUI, illegal screeching of tires, and used of a vehicle for illegal activities.