Urine Smuggling, Coyote Hunting and More: 2011's Police Blotter of the Weird

Jon Stewart on The Daily Show often thanks politicians for making his job easy. Some days, I feel the same way about criminals.

Crime is no laughing matter, but every now and then there's a gem that eases the reporting process; the headlines are written for me.

This year in New Lenox, there was no shortage of odd crime news. And to be fair, the charges listed in this blotter of the strange are just that—charges, and not evidence of guilt.

But from smuggling urine to hunting coyotes, there was a whole lot of silliness in the 2011 blotters.

Jan. 10: What's in a Name?

Patricio Rojas, 19, of Markham, was pulled over after New Lenox police said he ran a red light near Route 30 and Schoolhouse Road. Rojas then gave them a false name but, police discovered his real name after he signed it on his citation sheets. Upon searching Rojas' real name, police discovered he had a suspended license and a warrant for his arrest in connection with a failure to appear in court in Oak Forest and Markham.

Feb. 23: Coyote Hunter Charged With ATV DUI

A man who said he was looking for coyotes on his ATV in New Lenox was charged with drunken driving after his vehicle flipped off the road. John F. Ardaugh, 67, of Joliet, told police he had been drinking before he got on his all-terrain vehicle to go look for coyotes in the area by his house.

March 9: Release the Hounds!

Police say they saw Tracy Sendra, 46, of the 12000 block of Regan Road, walking three dogs without leashes. When an officer tried to inform Sendra of a village ordinance that requires leashes, she refused to give her name and tried to leave the scene in her car, which was parked nearby.

June 28: Illegal Peeing of the Pants

A New Lenox woman smuggled urine inside her pants to a court-ordered drug test last week, police said. Christina M. Sepsis, 32, of the 200 block of Haines Avenue, was charged with fraud after a drug-testing officer found a small bottle or urine hidden inside her pants at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet.

July 3: Stolen ATVs Turn Up in Crash

Two New Lenox teens were accused of stealing three ATVs last month after one of the stolen vehicles turned up in an accident last weekend. Henry R. Oram, 17, of the 14000 block of West Spencer Road, and Robert J. Hickey, 17, of the 1000 block of West Haven Avenue, were charged with theft, burglary and possession of burglary tools. Neither teen was involved in the ATV accident, but the subsequent investigation led police to Oram and Hickey.

Aug. 15: Not the Best Van to Hit

Wrong place, wrong time. Jose L. Farias, 57, of Joliet, was charged with driving without a valid license and improper lane use after he hit a Will County Jail transport van. Two officers were in the van, as well as a 20-year-old male inmate being transported. No one involved in the accident was injured.

Sept. 20: Dining and Dashing from Cops

Two women skipped out on a $44 bill at Denny's in Mokena at 6 a.m. even though sheriff's police were sitting in the restaurant. Brittany A. Rotto, 22, of New Lenox, and Sarah A. Frazier, 28, of Mokena, were cited for theft and disorderly conduct. They waited awhile for police to leave but eventually tried to flee.

Oct. 15: Man Tells Truth About Being Dumb

A Joliet man lied about not being able to speak or hear when police stopped him last week in New Lenox Township, then tried fleeing the scene when they realized it was an act. Terrance D. Godfrey, 39, of Joliet, was charged with obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest following a traffic stop. Police were suspicious of Godfrey's claims and asked him to step out of the car, to which he immediately responded to the verbal command.

Oct. 25: Calling the Cops on Yourself

Two Manhattan residents called to say they were threatened and robbed at a local gas station. What were they robbed of? Illicit prescription drugs they were trying to illegally sell, according to police. Timothy S. DeVitto, 18, and Shannon M. Rudow, 40, were charged with filing a false police report and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver.

Nov. 27: Don't Open the Gifts Before Christmas

A California woman stopped in New Lenox hid 27.5 pounds of marijuana in boxes wrapped as Christmas presents, state police said. Deborah A. Guyette, 58, was stopped while she was driving on Interstate 80 near Route 30. According to police in Guyette's hometown of Willits, CA, they recently found 205 marijuana plants in the woman's house.

Police blotter information is provided by the . 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 . We will verify and report the outcome. If you have information about an unsolved crime, call the Investigations Unit at 815-462-6100.