DUIs Aplenty in Palos Heights: Blotter

SUNDAY, DEC. 13

DUI

Jacob L. Goggins, 20, of the 12900 block of South Meade Avenue was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, driving with a blood-alcohol content over the limit and improper lane use after a Dec. 13 traffic stop, according to Palos Heights police reports.

Police pulled over Goggins at about 2:57 a.m. for driving on the raised median as he traveled northbound along the 13000 block of Ridgeland Avenue and striking the curb in the 13100 block, the report stated. During the stop, police reported Goggins appeared to have been drining, and he failed field sobriety tests, the report added.

At the station, Goggins gave a breath sample that registered a blood-alcohol content of 0.144, the report stated. The legal limit is 0.08.

Goggins was held on $1,500 bond, and his court date, and his court date is Jan. 25.

DUI, BAC Over .08

Eric R. Abbe, 28, of the 15400 block of South Arroyo Drive, Oak Forest, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, driving with a blood-alcohol content over the legal limit and improper lane use after a Dec. 13 traffic stop, according to Palos Heights police reports.

Police pulled over Abbe at about 3:13 a.m. for weaving in and out of traffic in the 12600 block of South Harlem Avenue, the report stated: Police claimed Abbe appeared to have been drinking, and he failed field sobriety tests, the report added.

Once in custody, Abbe took a breath test that registered a blood-alcohol content of 0.216, the report stated. The legal limit is 0.08.

Abbe was held on $1,500 bond, and his court date is Jan. 25.

DUI

Maura A. Westphal, 47, of the 8200 block of West 111th Street, Palos Hills, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, driving without insurance and improper lane use after a Dec. 13 traffic stop, according to Palos Heights police reports.

Westphal was involved in a two-vehicle accident that caused injuries and one of the vehicles to roll over at about 6:52 a.m. in the 12700 block of South Harlem Avenue, the report stated. A witness told police that Westphal was traveling northbound on Harlem in the median lane when her vehicle drifted to the left and struck another car stopped in the turn lane from southbound Harlem onto eastbound 127th Street, the report added.

Police reported that Westphal appeared to have been drinking, and she admitted that she had before the accident, the report stated. Westphal also failed field sobriety tests at the scene, and wouldn’t submit to chemical testing at the station, the report added.

Westphal was held on $3,000 bond, and his court date is Jan. 25.

SATURDAY, DEC. 12

DUI, Aggravated Speeding

Gregory L. Eckardt, 41, of the 6300 block of West 125th Street, was arrested and chaged with aggravated speeding and driving under the influence after a Dec. 12 traffic stop, according to Palos Heights police reports.

Police clocked Eckardt at about 3:47 a.m., going 69 mph in a 35-mph zone in the 11800 block of South Harlem Avenue, the report stated. During the stop, police claim Eckardt appeared to have been drinking, and he failed field sobriety tests, the report added. He would not submit to any chemical testing after being taken to the station, according to the report.

Eckardt was held on $3,000 bond, and his court date is Jan. 25.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10

DUI, Speeding

Ezequiel R. Garcia, 40, of the 4500 block of West 149th Street, Midlothian, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, speeding, improper lane use and driving without insurance after a Dec. 10 traffic stop, according to Palos Heights police.

Police stopped Garcia for speeding and improper lane use at about 2:20 a.m.in the block of 12600 South Harlem Avenue, the report stated. During the stop, the officer claimed Garcia’s breath smelled of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot, the report added.

Garcia was held on $3,000 bond, and his court date is Dec. 30.

TUESDAY, DEC. 8

DUI, Failure to Wear a Seatbelt

Jason Y. Park, 40, of the 13500 block of South 84th Avenue., Orland Park, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of drugs, failure to wear a seatbelt, using a cell phone while driving (not hands free) and possession of drug paraphernalia after Dec. 8 traffic stop, according to Palos Heights police reports.

Police stopped Park for not wearing his seat belt at about 9:38 p.m. in the 12500 block of South Ridgeland Avenue, the report stated. During the stop, police saw hypodermic needles in the vehicle, and Park admitted to drinking before being stopped, the report added.

Park failed field sobriety tests and was taken into custody, the report stated. Police later found a pill bottle with several clear capsules containing an off-white, powdery substance that field tested positive for heroin, the report added.

Park was held on $3,000 bond, and his court date is Jan. 25.

Police Blotter information is provided by local law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.