Cook County prosecutors recently dismissed charges against Mount Prospect teen, Keith J. Huff, 19, charged with underage drinking. Huff faced a misdemeanor charge of unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor following a January incident involving damage to several homeowners’ lawns.
Brian J. Essenberg, 19, of Des Plaines, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless driving earlier this year and was sentenced to 18 months supervision and 15 days community service.
At about 2:00 a.m. January 14, 2011, a Mount Prospect police officer witnessed a Dodge Grand Caravan driving over a side yard in the 1400 block of North Burning Bush Lane with the vehicle’s headlights and taillights off.
Police pulled over the driver, and arrested Brian J. Essenberg, 19, of Des Plaines, who faces 18 counts of criminal damage to property. Essenberg also had two passengers with him in the Dodge.
After all three subjects were transported in custody to Mount Prospect police headquarters. Keith J. Huff, 19, a passenger from Mount Prospect, was charged with unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor after registering blood-alcohol level of .032. The other passenger was not charged with any offense.
Along with the 18 counts of criminal damage, Essenberg was charged with reckless driving and unlawful possession of cannabis.
Police checked out the neighborhood where the three men were arrested, and found 33 damaged lawns in the 1800 block of East Boulder Drive, the 1800 block of East Apache Lane, the 1900 block of Sioux Lane, the 1900 block of East Hopi Lane, the 900 block of North Burning Bush Lane and the 1800 block of East Bittersweet Lane.
Police report that Brian J. Essenberg confessed to driving over the lawns.