Riverside Police Arrest Westchester Man with 31 Prior Arrests

Riverside Police with the WEDGE Gang and Drug Task force arrested Andrew Weger, 29 of the 10600 block of Preston St., Westchester, for aggravated felony driving while license revoked.

Weger, who is on parole for a residential burglary conviction, was driving a 2008 black Ford around 3:45 p.m. May 29 when he was stopped by Riverside police in the 10600 block of Preston Street in Westchester, according to Riverside police.

The WEDGE Gang and Drug Task force was also present because they were looking for Weger’s girlfriend for a series of retail thefts. His girlfriend, a 26-year-old resident of Lyons, was taken into custody by Forest Park police and WEDGE Units for related felony retail theft crimes, police reported.

Weger said before he was stopped by Riverside Police, he had gone back to Westchester on 83rd Street and I-55 in an attempt to get back to his home in Westchester. He told investigators he knew he shouldn’t have been driving, but he had just met with his parole agent and needed to drive or he faced being sent back to prison.

Riverside Police arrested Weger and charged him with aggravated felony driving while license revoked, police reported.

Weger’s driving history included several prior DUI arrests and six arrests for driving while license suspended or revoked. Weger has a criminal history of 31 prior arrests, including numerous drug offenses, burglary, theft, obstructing police and assault.

Weger’s bond was set at $50,000, and he is currently being held in custody at the Cook County Department of Corrections, police reported.

“This is just another example where individuals who have serious habitual driving records and continue to drive on a daily basis,” said Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel in a statement. “Mr. Wagner told investigators that he had just met with his parole agent and was on his way home from his meeting back to his residence in Westchester. That statement alone sums up what most habitual offenders think of their license being suspended or revoked. The fact that your license is suspended or revoked, in many times based on serious DUI convictions, has absolutely no effect on whether individuals drive or not.”

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