Naperville, Illinois – A Naperville traffic stop led to the arrest of a Downers Grove man after police allegedly found a loaded handgun concealed beneath an occupied child car seat, prompting felony and misdemeanor charges.
According to a joint release from the Naperville Police Department and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, officers conducted a traffic stop at approximately 10:47 p.m. Tuesday after identifying a vehicle whose registered owner had active warrants out of Cook County.
Police said officers made contact with Antoine Street, 40, of the 5800 block of Lee Avenue in Downers Grove, who was seated in the rear passenger seat behind the front passenger. Officers observed a one-year-old child seated next to him in a child safety seat.
Authorities allege that when officers informed Street he was under arrest and asked him to exit the vehicle, he resisted and had to be forcibly removed before being taken into custody.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers allegedly located a loaded 9mm Ruger pistol with one round in the chamber concealed beneath the child’s car seat. Prosecutors allege the firearm was less than an inch from where Street was seated, with the handle facing him and the barrel pointed toward the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Street was charged with Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, a Class 4 felony, along with misdemeanor counts of resisting a police officer, endangering the health or life of a child, and unlawful possession of cannabis by a passenger. Police allege Street was in possession of approximately 32 grams of cannabis at the time of his arrest.
DuPage County Judge Joshua Dieden granted the state’s motion to deny pretrial release during Street’s initial court appearance Wednesday.
Street’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 2 before Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh.
Authorities emphasized that the charges are allegations. Street is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
