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Chicago Tribune
15-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Elmhurst K9 Ozy remembered as ‘very talented,' ‘part of the community'
A beloved member of the Elmhurst Police Department died suddenly last month, leaving a hole in the hearts of all who worked with him, along with the residents he met during his brief yet memorable six-year career. And although he never said a word, his work spoke volumes. He chased down armed criminals, detected illegal drugs, found lost people and befriended school children and senior citizens. His name was Ozy and he was a German shepherd. Cancer claimed his life on June 5, two days after he had emergency surgery on his spleen. A memorial service was held for Ozy on July 3 in front of the police station. Police Chief Michael McLean and Officer Brandt Cappitelli reflected on Ozy. Cappitelli on June 3 noticed Ozy didn't seem himself. It turns out his spleen had ruptured and he had the emergency surgery. 'Ozy did a great job after surgery. He was up and walking around. I was amazed,' McLean said. The spleen surgery, however, unveiled a type of cancer called hemangiosarcoma, McLean said. Just two days later Ozy was in distress again and there was nothing more that could be done. 'It was very sad for us because Ozy was an active part of this police department, working with us every day,' McLean said. Ozy was the eldest of the department's two canine officers. 'When people ask me what our philosophy is for policing in Elmhurst, I like to say we're very community based, community focused. We're also a high-performing police department from an investigation standpoint 'Our canines have to be the same way. They're the embodiment of our policing philosophy,' McLean said. Ozy was 'very talented,' McLean said, and would 'protect our officers really well.' 'He was also really great with the community, doing all sorts of canine demonstrations for them, great for seniors and for children,' McLean said. Gina Minick, of Elmhurst, and 10-year-old daughter Tessa have first-hand memories of Ozy. Tessa was in the fourth grade at Hawthorne Elementary this spring when Ozy and Cappitelli visited a meeting of Girl Scout Troop 56194. Gina had invited Cappitelli and Ozy after she met both during a 12-week citizens police academy where residents learn about the department. 'We learned all about the canine unit. I said, 'Hey, can you please attend a Girl Scout meeting',' Gina said. During the meeting at their school, the girls learned all about Ozy's skills. 'The takeaway for the girls and for me was how Ozy helps keep our community safe,' Gina said. 'The girls agreed it was their favorite Scout meeting of the year. He was an incredibly calm and friendly dog.' Tessa said Ozy 'was really fun to have at Girl Scouts,' adding, 'he let us pet him.' She and her mother were sad to learn of his death. Ozy's career began in 2019 when he was paired with Cappitelli. They were partners 24/7 as Ozy went to the home of Cappitelli, living with him, his wife and their four children. 'The best job in the department if you ask me. … On duty and off duty, the responsibility is huge. Responsible for him all the time, but it's definitely worth it. … He was the ultimate canine, the type of dog handlers want to have,' Cappitelli said. His children, now ages 13 to 19, were 7 to 13 when Ozy moved in. 'He was phenomenal with the kids,' said Cappitelli, who joked that Ozy was their home security system. Over the years, Ozy worked on many cases. One that stands out for Cappitelli and McLean was last year when a ring of thieves was breaking into vehicles at night. A loaded handgun was stolen from one. One of the suspects was found living in a house near a park. 'We figured he would run,' McLean said. Sure enough, as officers closed in, the man 'bailed out of a window in the back of the house and took off running in a park.' Noting the man could be armed, McLean said 'it was a dangerous situation for our officers.' 'Officer Cappitelli made the right call. He sent Ozy ahead to do the apprehension, to keep the officers safe,' McLean said. To prevent any potential problems, all of Ozy's commands are spoken in German, not English, Cappitelli said. 'Ozy did his job and ran ahead, apprehended the suspect, allowing the offices to catch up and take the man into custody safely,' the chief said. 'That speaks to the training and dedication our canine and our handler have. You're trusting that dog will do exactly what he's trained to do, and Ozy did the job. He kept our officers and the community safe,' McLean said. A canine officer jumps on a suspect and bites if need be. It was needed this time. 'When we train him, it's always the arm or the leg. Most people give up when they see the dog. This guy didn't want to give up. Ozy had to do the whole routine,' Cappitelli said. Ozy was also trained to detect heroin, meth and cocaine. When Elmhurst police stopped a car and suspected illegal drugs inside, Ozy would walk around the vehicle, using his strong sense of smell. 'His alert was sitting down. If he smelled something, he's going to sit and wait for his reward, which was a rubber ball,' Cappittelli said. Ozy was trained to find missing persons. If a bank robber dropped a hat, for example, Ozy would sniff it and start tracking. Elmhurst's other police dog is Tommy, a Dutch shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix. The department hopes to acquire another dog, McLean said. Aug. 14 will be bittersweet in the department as it would be Ozy's 8th birthday. Meanwhile, mornings aren't the same. 'When he heard me start to get dressed (in my uniform) and heard the clink of my belt, he would come up to my room and wait for his collar because he knew it was time to go to work,' Cappitelli said. On duty, Capitelli never fed Ozy a full meal, not wanting to weigh him down, but there were exceptions. 'If he did well, on occasion we'd share some Portillo's French fries.' The loss of Ozy will be felt in other towns as well as. Elmhurst often lends its two police dogs to departments without canine units. 'Ozy wasn't just a crime fighter,' McLean added, 'he was part of the community.'
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
Elgin men charged after crash leads to gunfire, high-speed chase, officials say
Two Elgin men who allegedly struck a vehicle while driving in Addison, fired at the people in the car when they followed them and took police on a high-speed chase are being held in the DuPage County jail without bond, officials said. The incident began early Sunday morning when the driver of a Hyundai Sonata — later identified as Iban Pelayo, 19, of the 400 block of Locust Street — reportedly drove onto the shoulder of the Lake Street exit ramp from Interstate 290 in an attempt to get around a car, a news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office and the Elmhurst Police Department said. When he merged back onto the ramp, he struck the car's right passenger side and drove away, the report said. The victims followed the car, which struck a mailbox near Stone Avenue and Ellsworth Avenue but did not stop, officials said. As the two vehicles continued to an area near Lake Street and Villa Avenue, the passenger in the Sonata — identified as Cristopher Martinez Mendoza, 19, of the 400 block of South Edison Avenue — allegedly fired a gun at the victims' car, prompting them to end the pursuit and call the police, the release said. An Elmhurst police officer spotted the Sonata about 1:05 a.m. and tried to pull it over near the I-290 eastbound on-ramp but Pelayo instead drove onto the interstate and tried to flee at speeds that reached 115 mph, the release said. When Pelayo exited at St. Charles Road, his car crashed, causing it to go airborne, and was stopped by police before he could drive away, officials said. Martinez Mendoza fled on foot and was apprehended about 10 minutes later, the release said. Police recovered two live 9 mm rounds from the Sonata and a Polymer 80, known as a ghost gun, with a 9 mm magazine loaded with 10 rounds from a culvert where Martinez Mendoza allegedly threw it, the report said. Martinez Mendoza has been charged with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm-direction of an occupied vehicle and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon-no FOID. Pelayo was charged with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm-direction of an occupied vehicle and aggravated fleeing and eluding. DuPage County Judge Joshua Dieden granted the prosecution's request that both men be retained in jail pending the case's outcome, the release said. 'Crashing into and then shooting at another vehicle before leading police on a high-speed chase, as alleged in this case, may be something you see in the movies, but in DuPage County this type of behavior will quickly land you behind bars,' State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. 'Thankfully, no innocent motorists were injured or killed as a result of the defendants' alleged actions.' Martinez Mendoza's next court appearance is scheduled for April 7. Pelayo is to next be in court on March 24.
Chicago Tribune
11-03-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin men charged after crash leads to gunfire, high-speed chase, officials say
Two Elgin men who allegedly struck a vehicle while driving in Addison, fired at the people in the car when they followed them and took police on a high-speed chase are being held in the DuPage County jail without bond, officials said. The incident began early Sunday morning when the driver of a Hyundai Sonata — later identified as Iban Pelayo, 19, of the 400 block of Locust Street — reportedly drove onto the shoulder of the Lake Street exit ramp from Interstate 290 in an attempt to get around a car, a news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office and the Elmhurst Police Department said. When he merged back onto the ramp, he struck the car's right passenger side and drove away, the report said. The victims followed the car, which struck a mailbox near Stone Avenue and Ellsworth Avenue but did not stop, officials said. As the two vehicles continued to an area near Lake Street and Villa Avenue, the passenger in the Sonata — identified as Cristopher Martinez Mendoza, 19, of the 400 block of South Edison Avenue — allegedly fired a gun at the victims' car, prompting them to end the pursuit and call the police, the release said. An Elmhurst police officer spotted the Sonata about 1:05 a.m. and tried to pull it over near the I-290 eastbound on-ramp but Pelayo instead drove onto the interstate and tried to flee at speeds that reached 115 mph, the release said. When Pelayo exited at St. Charles Road, his car crashed, causing it to go airborne, and was stopped by police before he could drive away, officials said. Martinez Mendoza fled on foot and was apprehended about 10 minutes later, the release said. Police recovered two live 9 mm rounds from the Sonata and a Polymer 80, known as a ghost gun, with a 9 mm magazine loaded with 10 rounds from a culvert where Martinez Mendoza allegedly threw it, the report said. Martinez Mendoza has been charged with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm-direction of an occupied vehicle and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon-no FOID. Pelayo was charged with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm-direction of an occupied vehicle and aggravated fleeing and eluding. DuPage County Judge Joshua Dieden granted the prosecution's request that both men be retained in jail pending the case's outcome, the release said. 'Crashing into and then shooting at another vehicle before leading police on a high-speed chase, as alleged in this case, may be something you see in the movies, but in DuPage County this type of behavior will quickly land you behind bars,' State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. 'Thankfully, no innocent motorists were injured or killed as a result of the defendants' alleged actions.'
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Yahoo
3 Cook County residents detained after stealing SUV, fleeing police at 130 mph: officials
The Brief Three Cook County residents, Xavier Carrasco, Matthew Perez, and Mariano Martinez, were detained after allegedly stealing a high-end SUV and leading police on a high-speed chase earlier this month. A fourth suspect, Jocelyn Gonzalez, was not detained. The suspects face multiple charges, including possession of a stolen motor vehicle, theft, burglary, and aggravated fleeing and eluding, with additional charges for Perez related to unlawful use of weapons. The chase, which reached speeds of up to 130 mph, involved multiple agencies, including a helicopter, and ended when the Jeep lost control. The suspects were apprehended after fleeing on foot. DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. - Three Cook County residents are being detained after allegedly stealing a high-end SUV and leading police on a high-speed chase earlier this month. A fourth individual involved in the incident was not detained. What we know Xavier Carrasco, 19; Matthew Perez, 24; and Mariano Martinez, 18, were ordered detained Saturday following a first appearance in court. The fourth person, 22-year-old Jocelyn Gonzalez, was not detained. Carrasco and Martinez face charges that include: One count of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle (Class 1 felony) One count of theft – over $10,000 (Class 1 felony) One count of burglary (Class 2 felony) One count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle (Class 2 felony) One count of aggravated fleeing and eluding (Class 4 felony) Perez is charged with two counts of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle, two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (Class 4 felony) and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (Class 4 felony). Gonzalez is charged with one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding, according to DuPage County State's Attorney. The backstory The charges stem from an investigation by the Elmhurst Police Department into the theft of a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT valued at more than $53,000 on Feb. 11. At 4:40 a.m., a black Cadillac SUV drove into the overhead service doors at the Al Piemonte Buick GMC dealership. A Chevrolet SS arrived shortly after, and Carrasco exited the vehicle and entered the dealership. Carrasco retrieved keys for the Jeep and fled in the stolen vehicle, the state's attorney said. The Cadillac, also found to be stolen, had been reportedly taken by Martinez from My Choice Motors, located half a mile from the dealership. A short time later, both vehicles went to a gas station in Berkeley and fled at a high rate of speed when a police officer arrived. Pursuit Begins On Feb. 20, a Lisle police officer patrolling near a car dealership spotted what appeared to be the stolen Jeep. The Jeep fled on Ogden Avenue and headed east on I-88, where a Villa Park officer pursued it at speeds reaching 130 mph. Multiple agencies assisted in the chase, including a Chicago Police Department helicopter. The pursuit continued onto I-290, where the Jeep swerved around an Oak Brook officer, narrowly missing him, to avoid spike strips. The Jeep lost control near the 17th Street exit due to losing the front passenger side tire, and all four suspects fled on foot. According to the state's attorney, the four suspects jumped over the concrete median and fled across I-290 before being apprehended a short time later. During the chase, Perez discarded a Glock 20 handgun, and Martinez was found with matching ammunition. Investigators said they also found a loaded AR rifle and a 9mm Hellcat stolen from Cicero inside the Jeep. What they're saying "The blatant disregard for the rule of law allegedly exhibited by these defendants is astonishing," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said. "The successful apprehension of these four defendants sends a loud and clear message that in DuPage County, we will not tolerate the type of lawless, dangerous behavior as alleged in this case. We will use every tool available to us, including a helicopter and our partners in law enforcement to go after those who break the law and put the public at risk. We are all very thankful that no innocent bystanders or motorists were injured as a result of the defendants' alleged behavior. I thank the Villa Park Police Department for their outstanding police work that led to the apprehension of these four defendants. The apprehension of the defendants in this case was indeed a team effort and I want to recognize the Elmhurst, Oak Brook, Berkely, Maywood, Forest Park, Broadview and Lisle Police Departments as well as the Illinois State Police for their cooperation and assistance in bringing this matter to a successful conclusion. I especially thank the Chicago Police Department for air support that was instrumental in apprehending the defendants once the defendants allegedly fled their vehicle. I also thank Assistant State's Attorney's Kevin Kosman and Nicholas Covert for their efforts in securing strong charges against the defendants." "The alleged actions of those subjects charged are truly disturbing," Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas stated. "All four subjects showed a blatant disregard for public safety and for the properties of others. The public should be reminded to pull over for emergency lights and sirens. The public should also be reminded that all who commit violent crimes in our area will be met with all lawful resources available to put a stop to these criminal acts. I want to thank the brave men and women of the Villa Park Police Department for their tireless commitment to arresting all violent criminals who come through our area. Once the subjects were taken into custody it was truly a team effort for patrol, investigations, and our records department to process, investigate and care for the subjects while in our custody. The Villa Park Police Department is very successful at taking alleged violent offenders into custody. We do not act alone, and we are thankful to the police departments of Elmhurst, Oak Brook, Chicago and several Cook County Departments for the excellent coordination of tactics, communication, and investigations in this case. We would also like to thank DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin and his thorough team of Assistant State's Attorneys who worked so hard to charge the alleged offenders with the nineteen felonies." What's next Carrasco, Perez, and Martinez are scheduled to appear in court on March 7. Gonzalez's next court appearance is set for March 17.
