Teen Follows Ex-Girlfriend, Employee Battery, Among Geneva Crime

GENEVA, IL — The Geneva Police Department responded to these recently reported crime incidents:

Aggravated battery

Justin Ayala,32, of the 2900 block of Eshcol Avenue in Zion, is facing aggravated battery charges stemming from a Dec. 1 incident at a Geneva business. Police responded to a report of a battery at a business in the 300 block of W. State Street. When police arrived, they were told Ayala was sitting on the second floor railing and was told to get off, during which Ayala became confrontational and was asked to leave the business. According to police, employees claim Ayala told them to "make him" and ended up hitting it an employee in the neck with "a closed fist," causing an abrasion. Police were also told Ayala was being held down on the staircase near the back of the business by another employee.

According to police, an officer grabbed Ayala's left arm and put it behind his back, while someone else grabbed his other arm, and police told him he was under arrest. That's when police said Ayala put all his weight on the officer's legs, causing them to be pinned against the stairs before two other officers got Ayala onto his feet, police said.

After what police describe as a brief struggle in arresting Ayala, an officer placed handcuffs on him, and Ayala proceeded to kick an unidentified person in the groin/stomach area, before being escorted out of the business.

Ayala then reportedly used his forehead to hit another officer on his nose, and refused to get into the back of the police car. According to police, a short struggle took place before ultimately getting him in the car.

The employee didn't wish to pursue charges, according to police.

However, Ayala faces charges of aggravated battery of a peace officer and aggravated battery (public).

Disorderly conduct

Geneva police were called to the 100 block of Hawkins Way just after 7 p.m. on Nov. 29 for a report of disorderly conduct, and on the way were told the victim was being followed by her ex-boyfriend. According to police, officers arrived and met with the female victim and her mom at the front door, and the female said she was leaving her dad's home when she saw a silver Honda Accord traveling closely behind her car. Police said the victim recognized her ex-boyfriend's car, and told police that throughout her drive home, he continually drove next to her using either the shoulder of the road or the lane designated for oncoming traffic, while yelling "I want to talk to you" and "Stop ruining my lie" from his front passenger window. According to the police report, the victim's ex-boyfriend then sped up and drove diagonally across the road, blocking the victim and then slowing traffic.

The victim then was able to drive home, and saw her ex-boyfriend, identified as Caleb M. Dehut, 18, of the 500 block of East Thorndale Lane in South Elgin, speed past her home before leaving the area eastbound on Heartland Drive.

The victim told police Dehut was arrested on July 1 for violating a no contact/no stalking order, police said, adding that they tried contacting Dehut on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30, and left a voice message, before trying to contact Dehut again on Nov. 30. Police left another voicemail regarding charges and a court date for the Nov. 29 incident, and mailed a complaint/notice to appear to Dehut's home.

Dehut was arrested, and faces disorderly conduct charges and is scheduled to appear in Kane County Court on Jan. 14.

Retail theft

Darrell O. Crawford, was arrested on Tuesday on a warrant for retail theft, stemming from accusations in a Nov. 6 incident, according to police. Crawford is facing charges of unlawful possession of a theft detection device and attempted theft, according to police.

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.