Joliet Police Arrest Four In Cars With Guns

JOLIET (STMW) -- Joliet police made four arrests and found three guns after pulling over two vehicles Wednesday night in the southwest suburb.

According to reports, officers saw a Pontiac Grand Am and Pontiac Aztec traveling together near Springfield and Glenwood avenues and stopped the Aztec for disobeying a stop sign.

Joliet Police Cmdr. Al Roechner said back-seat passenger Artell D. Scroggins, 21, was "stepping on an assault rifle" and police found a .40-caliber handgun in his waistband when he was searched. Scroggins, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was arrested on charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unauthorized possession of am munition.

The driver, Deitrick T. Ervin, 25, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was charged with obstructing justice.

The Grand Am sped away, but was stopped by other police officers at West Acres Road and Border Drive, where driver Timothy E. Moffett, 37, reportedly jumped from the car and was chased on foot. After Moffett, of 11 Mississippi Ave., was caught, police found a .40-caliber pistol that had been reported stolen from Indiana, Roechner said.

Moffett was charged with being an armed habitual criminal, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a stolen firearm, defacing the identifying markings of a firearm, aggravated fleeing from police and several traffic violations.

His passenger, Ronald Ward, 36, of 715 Second Ave., was arrested on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, marijuana possession and parole violations.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)