Palos Heights Police Blotter: Drunken Driver Asleep at the Wheel

TUESDAY, JULY 19

Possession of Controlled Substance

Matthew D. Heintzman, 21, of the 12000 block of 74th Avenue in Palos Heights, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of cannabis and possession of drug equipment. Police said they stopped Heintzman’s car in the 12300 block of Harold Avenue around 3 a.m. after he matched the description of a suspicious person who had been seen looking into parked cars. Police searched Heintzman’s car and found several bags of marijuana, a smoking pipe and two bottles of prescription pills that did not belong to him, according to the report. 

MONDAY, JULY 18

Harlem Lullaby

Israel Nieto, 22, of the 8400 block of Latrobe Street in Burbank, was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and obstructing traffic. Police said they found Nieto asleep behind the wheel, with his foot on the brake, in the 12500 block of Harlem Avenue around 2:30 a.m. He was woken after police secured the car, and he submitted to field sobriety tests, which he failed, police said. A passenger was also sleeping when police arrived and was released without charge, according to the report.

SUNDAY, JULY 17

Violated Median

Jason P. Carpenter, 29, of the 8000 block of 160 th Street in Tinley Park, was charged with DUI and violated median. Police said they stopped Carpenter’s car in the 13500 block of Ridgeland Avenue around 3 a.m. for striking a raised median. Carpenter failed field sobriety tests, police said.

FRIDAY, JULY 15

52 in 35 DUI, Part I

James E. Todd, 27, of the 12900 block of Westgate Drive in Palos Heights, was charged with DUI and speeding. Police said they stopped Todd’s car in the 6500 block of 127 th Street around 3 p.m. for driving 52 in a 35 mph zone. Todd failed field sobriety tests, according to the report.

THURSDAY, JULY 14

52 in 35 DUI, Part II

Gerardo A. Rodriguez, 52, 100 block of Cliff Street in Willow Springs, was charged with DUI, speeding, improper lane usage and operation of an uninsured motor vehicle. Police said they stopped Rodriquez’s car in the 12800 block of Harlem Avenue around 1 a.m. for driving 52 in a 35 mph zone and for crossing over the solid lane divider. Rodriguez failed field sobriety tests, according to the report.

52 in 35 DUI, Part III

Kamil Ropelewski, 18, of the 13300 block of Greenlead Court in Palos Heights, was charged with DUI and speeding. Police said they stopped Ropelewski’s car in the 6900 block of 127th Street around 4:30 a.m. for driving 52 in a 35 mph zone. Ropelewski failed field sobriety tests, according to the report.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13

Buck and Roll

David B. Buck, 36, of the 13700 block of 92nd Avenue in Orland Park, was charged with battery. Police said Buck put a man in a headlock and threw him to the ground during an argument at a home in the 6500 block of 127th Street around 10:30 a.m.

Police report information is provided by 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.