By Dan P. Blake
Chicago Tribune
FOREST PARK, Ill. — A Forest Park man has been charged in an alleged road-rage incident against an off-duty Chicago police officer.
Omar Arreola was charged with drunken driving and four misdemeanors for allegedly following the officer for several miles in Chicago after a traffic altercation, then ramming into the officer’s car just off an exit ramp on the Kennedy Expressway.
The incident began around 12:45 a.m. when Arreola and the off-duty Belmont District officer got into a traffic dispute in the southbound lanes of Western Avenue near Logan Boulevard, said Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Joe Stangl.
After the two men got out of their vehicles and exchanged words, the officer informed the man he was a police officer and told him to get back in his Mercedes sport-utility vehicle, Stangl said. The officer then drove away.
While driving south on the Kennedy Expressway, the officer noticed Arreola following him, Stangl said. The officer exited the Kennedy at Washington Boulevard, and when Arreola got off too, the officer called 911.
As the officer attempted to get back on the Kennedy going north at Randolph Street, he was rear-ended by the Mercedes, Stangl said. Arreola also allegedly sideswiped the officer’s vehicle.
Police officers who arrived at the scene arrested Arreola, who was charged with drunken driving, two counts of criminal damage to property, reckless conduct and aggravated assault, Stangl said.
Arreola also was cited with driving on a suspended license.
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