Community Corner

Court Watch: Naperville Jewelry Thief Pleads Guilty

An update on recent DuPage County court cases.

Elmhurst:
A DuPage County judge on Dec. 8 threw out a lawsuit by a resident blaming city officials for flood-related damage his home suffered during summer storms in 2010. Alexander Arezina sued the city claiming it has been negligent in its operation of the storm sewer system, and that those conditions caused his basement to flood during heavy rains in June and July 2010. The city responded that it was protected by the state's immunity law because it had no advanced notice of the conditions that caused Arezina's situation. Judge Patrick Leston agreed with the city's position during the Dec. 8 hearing. Arezina's attorney said he would consult with Arezina to decide whether to ask Leston to reconsider his ruling or to file an amended lawsuit.

Naperville:
Harold Guzman, accused of stealing jewelry from a car parked at a Naperville hotel last year, pleaded guilty to a theft charge just on Dec. 6 - the day his trial was scheduled to begin. Police arrested Guzman, of Berwyn, in February on charges he broke into a salesman's car and took multiple cases of silver jewelry. Guzman was sentenced to 180 days in DuPage Jail - although credited with 302 days he served since his arrest - and placed on 30 months of probation. It was previously reported that Guzman was under a hold by the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency, meaning he would be taken into custody by ICE upon his release from jail.


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