NEWS RELEASE

RIVERSIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT

31 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546

09 December 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chief Weitzel tweitzel@riverside.il.us

708.447.2127 - Follow RPD on Twitter @pdriverside

Riverside Police Arrest DUI Offender after Hit and Run That Started in Chicago
DUI offender strikes off-duty Houston, Texas police officers vehicle and flees from Chicago to Riverside

On Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 10:56 p.m., the Riverside Police Department received a
911 cellular phone call from a hit-and-run victim who stated he was following a vehicle that
had struck his vehicle at the intersection of Archer and Central in Chicago. When he
contacted the Riverside Police Department, the offending vehicle was being followed by the
victim northbound on First Avenue at Forest. Riverside Police were able to receive his cell
phone call as it bounced off the cell tower located at Riverside Brookfield High School at First
and Ridgewood The vehicle was described by the victim as a silver Jeep which was going all
over the road. Riverside and North Riverside Police units caught up to the vehicle at First
Avenue and 26th. At that time, the vehicle was traveling 5 miles an hour and had damage
on the front end of his vehicle. Officers initiated a traffic stop at 26th and First and the
vehicle was stopped. At the same time, the victim exited his car, identified himself as a
Houston, Texas police officer. He advised the Riverside Police Officer that his vehicle had
been struck at Archer and Central in Chicago. He stated that the offender was in the vehicle
that had refused to stop.
Riverside Officers could detect a strong odor of alcohol coming from the drivers breath in
addition to his eyes being red and bloodshot. He had a difficult time speaking to officers and
was unable to produce a drivers license when requested. Additionally, the arresting officers
found cans of Bud Light inside the drivers compartment of the vehicle.
The defendant, Miguel Mendez, failed all field sobriety tests. Once in police custody at the
lockup, the defendant blew a .249 on the Breathalyzer. This is three times the legal limit in
Illinois. Arrested by Riverside Police was Miguel Mendez, 44 of the 4900 block of South
Hoyne Avenue in Chicago. Mr. Mendez was charged with felony aggravated DUI, a

second charge of DUI for driving with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal
limit, driving with no valid Illinois drivers license and no vehicle insurance. Mr.
Mendez was held over for bond court.
Riverside Police had the victim contact the Chicago Police Departments 8th District to report
the accident and follow up on the hit and run. The victim in this case is a 53 year-old male
resident of Harris, Texas who was in Illinois to visit his mother over the holidays. The vehicle
he was driving was a rental car and was heavily damaged.

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