Suburban DMV to permanently close • Illinois employee steals $20K in loans • Rideshare driver sues Chicago

CHICAGO - A DMV facility in the southwest suburbs will permanently close Monday; an Oak Lawn woman was sentenced after pleading guilty to stealing from the state; and a former rideshare driver is suing Uber, Lyft and the City of Chicago.

These are the top stories on Fox 32's Week in Review.

Suburban DMV location to permanently close next week

The Illinois Secretary of State announced a DMV facility in Lockport will be closing its doors for good next Monday.

The DMV facility, located at 1029 E. 9th St., will close permanently on Nov. 25.

FULL STORY.

Oak Lawn woman learns sentence for fraudulently obtaining more than $20K in PPP loans

A 64-year-old woman from Oak Lawn has been sentenced after pleading guilty to fraudulently obtaining more than $20,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans while employed by the state of Illinois.

Arnita Rudd admitted to one felony count of theft by deception, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

FULL STORY.

Former rideshare driver sues Uber, Lyft, and Chicago over deactivation rules

A former rideshare driver has filed a lawsuit against Uber, Lyft, and the City of Chicago, claiming her rights were violated.

Ceresa Cohran, who drove for the rideshare companies for five years, says she was removed from the platforms under city rules that allow companies to deactivate drivers without providing evidence or an appeal process. Her case could have significant implications for the nearly 90,000 licensed rideshare drivers in Chicago.

FULL STORY.

Search for wanted Kentucky man leads to three arrests in Indiana: state police

A search for a Kentucky man wanted on multiple felony warrants led to the arrest of three people in Indiana, including the man, Indiana State Police said.

On Wednesday, Nov. 13, an Indiana state trooper received a tip that Kevin Henning, 41, wanted on multiple felony warrants in Kentucky, was living in Grandview, Ind., with Letisha Cook, 31.

FULL STORY.

Suburban woman who attacked couple over pro-Palestinian hoodie charged with hate crime

A woman was arrested for a hate crime after she allegedly attacked a couple wearing clothing with the word "Palestine" at a Panera Bread restaurant in Downers Grove.

Alexandra Szustakiewicz, 64, of Darien, was charged with two counts of hate crime and one count of disorderly conduct.

FULL STORY.

Missing Wisconsin man found dead inside crashed car in Chicago area

Ben Oberto, originally reported missing from New Berlin on Thursday, Nov. 14, was found dead following a crash in Rosemont.

New Berlin police, along with Illinois State Police, confirmed he died after his vehicle was involved in a single-vehicle accident on the freeway near O'Hare Airport.

FULL STORY.

Chicago rapper pleads guilty to defrauding victims for $100,000

A Chicago rapper pleaded guilty for his role in a nationwide wire fraud scheme in which he defrauded his victims for more than $100,000, federal prosecutors said.

Terrence Bender, also known as "Blends" and "Dopeblends," pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Bender, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2020 along with five co-defendants in the scheme.

FULL STORY.

Ex-boyfriend shot and killed Dr. Olga Duchon in front of their daughters in Barrington: court docs

Grisly new details were revealed in court Wednesday regarding the murder of a woman in Barrington on Sunday during a fatal encounter with her ex-boyfriend.

The victim, Dr. Olga Duchon, was found dead around 5:30 a.m. in the home of 46-year-old William Zientek, with whom she shared a 3-year-old daughter, following a violent assault involving a baseball bat and a fatal gunshot wound.

FULL STORY.

Here are Illinois' top 10 elementary schools, according to new report

If you’ve ever wondered which elementary schools in Illinois are leading the pack, a new report from U.S. News & World Report has the answers.

The rankings go beyond test scores. While academic performance in math and reading played a big role, the study also considered socioeconomic factors to provide a more balanced picture. 

FULL STORY.

Chicago Michael Jackson impersonator visits nursing home, but resident steals the show

It was a "thriller" of a day at Alden Estates of Orland Park nursing home.

Chicago's own Michael Jackson tribute artist Rico Hampton made a surprise visit. Let’s just say, he got a reaction that even the King of Pop himself wouldn’t have seen coming.

FULL STORY.