Arrested At Hammel Woods Forest Preserve: Shorewood Woman May Lose Vehicle To Police Forfeiture

SHOREWOOD, IL — When you visit one of the Will County Forest Preserves, there's a good chance that the forest preserve police will run your license plates and vehicle registration to determine if they're valid. Joliet Patch has produced countless stories on this matter over the past several years. Now, the latest person to run into trouble with the Will County Forest Preserve Police is Shorewood resident Nora Koncel. Her 2020 Buick Enclave now faces the prospect of being sold at public auction, allowing the financial proceeds to be given to one of the area police agencies.

The incident resulting in Koncel's arrest happened on April 2 at the Hammel Woods Crumby Recreation area along Black Road. That day, Forest Preserve Police Officer Caitlin Mosier spotted Koncel's Buick Enclave in the parking lot and determined the vehicle had valid registration for Mary Anne Koncel, who comes from the 500 block of Shorewood's Edgebrook Drive.

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From there, the officer requested a P1 search which came back with Nora Koncel, living at the same address. Officer Mosier determined that Nora Koncel had a revoked driver's license for a DUI and Nora Koncel also came back as a "hot hit notification," court files show, for an outstanding arrest warrant from a traffic offense in Kane County.

Eventually, Officer Mosier spotted a woman who closely resembled Nora Koncel's description enter the driver's seat of the Buick Enclave and drive toward the Black Road exit. That's when the officer turned on her emergency lights and pulled the Shorewood woman over.

According to the forfeiture complaint, Nora Koncel gave the officer a false name of Ann Barnby, and a Social Security number, and refused to furnish proof of identification.

The Shorewood Police Department subsequently responded to the scene to provide backup.

"Nora Koncel refused to exit the ... vehicle and slammed the door shut," court documents show. "Shorewood Police assisted Officer Mosier with removing Nora Koncel from the ... vehicle."

From there, the police called for a tow truck and Officer Mosier brought Koncel to the Will County Forest Preserve Police Department on Joliet's Cherry Hill Road. Koncel was given a citation for driving while license revoked, court documents reflect. Koncel's driver's license was revoked for her previous DUI, the complaint indicated.

A hearing on the forfeiture involving the Shorewood woman's vehicle is set for June 24 at the Will County Courthouse. The court documents indicate the following entities may have an interest in the forfeiture hearing: defendant Nora Koncel, her mother Mary Anne Koncel and American Eagle Bank located in South Elgin.