Crime & Safety

South Suburban DUI Arrests, Aug. 25

Things will heat up even more this summer if you decide to drink and drive. See who is in the hot seat in Patch's weekly roundup of drunken driving reports.

ORLAND PARK

Aug. 11:
Erik J. Rhodes, 65, of the 1200 block of Douglas Lane, Crete, was charged with driving under the influence, DUI with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08, possessing drug paraphernalia, speeding and improper lane use, according to a Orland Park police report.

A cop was using a radar gun at about 2:23 a.m. near the intersection of LaGrange Road and 161st Street when he saw a gray vehicle clocked at 54 mph in a 35 mph zone. After police stopped the car, they noticed the driver, Rhodes, had bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. Rhodes was arrested after taking field sobriety tests and was booked at the Orland Park Police Department, the report states. An officer who searched his car discovered a multicolored glass pipe in the center console that had what appeared to be a green leafy substance inside a small clear package in a pack of cigarettes.

Authorities did not charge Rhodes with possessing marijuana due to the small amount of the suspected drug, the report states.

Aug. 8: Kerry E. Koepp, 34, of the 200 block of Parkside Drive, Shorewood, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, DUI with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08, speeding, improper lane use and driving without insurance, according to a report.

A silver vehicle was clocked traveling 66 mph in a 40 mph zone at about 12:44 a.m. and accelerated away from a cop who was following it, the report states. The officer also reportedly witnessed the car swerve across lanes. The vehicle finally stopped in the 7600 block of 143rd Street.

The driver, Koepp, spoke with a "thick tongue" and slurred speech, the report states. He was asked to take tests for intoxication, during he fell backwards twice. Cops arrested Koepp and booked him on the DUI charges. While in custody, he submitted to a breath test and was given a Sept. 18 court date in Bridgeview.

FRANKFORT

Aug. 10: Derek R. Svehla, 42, of the 8000 block of Farmhouse Road, Frankfort, was cited for driving under the influence and improper lane use, according to a report. He was arrested at about 11:35 p.m. near the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Lincoln Highway. Svehla was released on bond and given a Sept. 6 court date.

Aaron L. Gallagher, 32, of the 17500 block of Gilbert Drive, Lockport, was arrested at about 4:23 a.m. near the intersection of Frankfort Square Road and Lincoln Highway on an outstanding DuPage County warrant. He was released on bond and is due on Sept. 12 in Will County court.

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Police report information is provided by local police departments. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions 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.

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