Broadview Mayor Reacts To Official's Riverside Arrest

La Grange IL

26 April, 2021

8:56 AM

Description

RIVERSIDE, IL — A Broadview man is accused of dropping the name of his town's mayor in an attempt to avoid a DUI arrest last week in Riverside. However, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson told Patch over the weekend she would not interfere with such an arrest in her town or any other. On April 18, Riverside police arrested Ahkeem Henderson, 45, on a charge of DUI, among others. Last year, Thompson appointed Henderson as a member of the village's Zoning Board of Appeals. His term lasts another year. In an email to Patch, Thompson said she wanted to leave no doubt about the Riverside traffic stop. "At no moment did I have any involvement or communication with the Riverside Police Department regarding the traffic stop of Mr. Henderson. Full stop. In fact, I had (no) knowledge of the incident until after the fact," Thompson said. "Second, so it is blazingly clear to all residents, as mayor, neither I nor any member of my administration would ever sanction any interference whatsoever in the lawfully executed duties of the Broadview Police Department — or in the police department of any surrounding community — on behalf of friends, family, or colleagues. No one. Period," Thompson said. "Under my administration, the integrity and professionalism of the Broadview Police Department and law enforcement more broadly will not be compromised." In the April 2017 election, Henderson was among nine candidates for three seats on the Broadview Village Board. He finished seventh. About 8:30 p.m. Sunday, a Riverside officer saw Henderson run a red light at Ogden Avenue and Gage Road, going 51 mph in a 30 mph zone and weaving over lane markers, according to a Riverside police news release. During the traffic stop, Henderson told the officer that he was coming from a volunteer program for Broadview's mayor, police said. He invoked the mayor as well as his brother-in-law, who he said was a Chicago police officer, in his attempts to avoid arrest, the release said. The officer refused Henderson's requests to call the mayor and his in-law. Henderson then failed roadside sobriety tests, according to the release. While checking on Henderson's driver's license, police found it was revoked for DUI convictions in 2014 and 2018 and numerous offenses for driving on a revoked license, police said. "Mr. Henderson could barely stand," Police Chief Tom Weitzel said in the news release. "He was stumbling and losing his balance the entire time he was in police custody as his intoxication level was severe. There is no question he was an extreme danger to other motorists on the roadway."