Illinois mayor appears to threaten police chief's job after being booked for suspected DUI

Mayor John D. Noak appeared to threaten his village’s police chief’s job after he was book for suspicion of driving under the influence. (Village of Romeoville)

An Illinois mayor appeared to threaten the job of his village’s police chief when the politician was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence -- just hours after delivering his State of the Village speech on April 12, a police report revealed.

Romeoville Mayor John D. Noak, 44, was pulled over by an officer who received a call from a witness that said the man was driving recklessly, the Chicago Tribune reported. The officer followed Noak with his emergency lights on for some time and he “did not appear to acknowledge the signal to stop and pull over,” the police report made public Monday stated. Noak was just elected to his third term as mayor last year.

Noak finally pulled over after he heard the siren but did not acknowledge the officer who said the mayor appeared to be talking on the phone to someone. The mayor “continued to talk as I stood next to the door and did not acknowledge me” until the officer knocked on the car window. The officer asked Noak if there was “a reason he was unable to maintain his lane,” and the mayor responded, “Totally…I was talking to people.”

The police report blocked out a few parts of the incident including what the officer witnessed of Noak’s driving, much of what occurred after he was pulled over and what sobriety tests were given. The officer noted there was some “fresh damage” to the car’s passenger side wheels.

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The police report stated Noak “refused to answer questions” once he was cuffed and claimed he would not consent to a breath, blood or urine test. The mayor also “pointed out that I had not read the Miranda rights at the time of the arrest but had waited ‘hours’ to do so implying that I had made a procedural mistake,” the officer wrote. “I advised Noak that the Miranda rights applied only to persons being questioned.”

Chief Mark Turvey spoke to Noak three times while he was being booked. The second time he spoke to him, Noak appeared to be upset as the chief calmed him down.

Romeoville Mayor John D. Noak was given “citations for alleged DUI, improper lane use and driving without proof of insurance, and handed over his driver’s license and $100 as bond,” a police report stated. (Romeoville Police Department)

The mayor was given “citations for alleged DUI, improper lane use and driving without proof of insurance, and handed over his driver’s license and $100 as bond,” the report stated

The report noted that after the mayor’s booking was completed, Noak asked if the “part of the station was under surveillance” and the officers told him there was a camera but no sound. “Noak then spoke to Chief Turvey and said, ‘I’m coming for you,’” the report stated.

“Noak’s tone and demeanor as he made this statement appeared to be a veiled threat but was not accompanied with any aggressive body language or movements,” the report stated.

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As the mayor was escorted out of the station, Noak stretched his hands to one of the officers and said, “You’re done.” The officer responded, “Yes, this process is done,” but Noak responded, “No, you’re done,” the report stated.

The officers told Turvey about Noak’s response but he told them it was nothing to be worried about, the report stated.

“I would like to apologize for the incident that occurred on April 12. Under direction of my attorney…I will not be able to provide a full statement until my case is resolved,” said Noak, who was elected to his third term as mayor in 2017. “Once the case is concluded I will provide a more detailed statement.”