Police Evacuate McDonald's After Finding Live Grenades in Vehicle
George Crocker of New Lenox is being held on $300,000 bond on weapons, drug charges.
Lemont Police evacuated the McDonald’s at 1152 State St. after discovering live grenades in a vehicle in the restaurant’s parking lot Sept. 16.
The explosive devices were discovered as police and Lemont Fire Department personnel responded to the report of a man passed out in his vehicle in the parking lot of the restaurant at about 9:30 p.m.
According to a press release from the Lemont Police Department, responding officers found a man lying outside the open door of a car, incoherent and unable to communicate with police or fire department personnel, who had also responded to the call.
While attempting to render first aid to the man, a police officer saw what appeared to be a grenade device on the center console of the man’s vehicle.
Lemont Fire Department transported the man, George Crocker, 39, of the 221 Haines Ave. in New Lenox, to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox while police evacuated the restaurant and surrounding area.
An investigation by the Cook County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad found a second grenade device in the vehicle and safely removed both devices and transported them to a safe location.
The department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were notified and are assisting in the investigation. Authorities say field testing confirmed that both devices contained a military-grade high explosive compound and were capable of detonating.
Police report that officers also found suspected narcotics in the vehicle, and an investigation is ongoing to determine if any other unaccounted explosive devices were involved.
Crocker was charged with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. He was held for processing and transported to Cook County Circuit Court in Bridgeview on Sept. 19, where his bond was set at $300,000. Crocker’s next court date is Oct. 9.
Editor's note: The above information was provided in a press release sent to Patch Sept. 26 by the Lemont Police Department.
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Clare Woday
7:40 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Why are we hearing about this 10 days after the fact? Really?? Why did in not make the news? We all have kids that are always at that McDonalds. I think our community should have been notified for saftey reasons and to reminds us to be alert of our surroundings. Makes you wonder what else Is not being reported around here!?!
Felicia M
10:19 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
He was found unconscious and a message left by the officer said he was at the hospital and would be returned home when released. They need to look at his roommate who left him in that condition. He is not that kind of person and would harm no one. The police are taking this out of context because they had been chasing him for a crime that he didn't commit. Photos show that his roommate committed previous crime and they were out for George. Also he would never drive in the condition that he was found in. They are ruining someone's life for their own purposes.
Johnny on the spot
5:28 pm on Friday, October 12, 2012
Yeah whatever he should never put anyone in harms way ,oh wiat look at his girlfriend from the same address,Why did the garage catch fire twice ???? hummmmmm wonders if it was a meth lab ??????
Tom Koz
8:53 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Any follow-up??
Nicki
2:10 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012
How scary! My daughter and all her friends are always at McDonalds! I agree, there should have been some sort of alert when this occurred, not a week and half after the fact!