Crime & Safety

Drunk Woman Smashes Car into Ex's Garage: Cops

The alleged incident happened Thanksgiving night.

A woman's blood alcohol level was more than twice over the legal limit when she intentionally drove her car into her ex-boyfriend's garage on Thanksgiving night, Plainfield police said.


Melanie M. Pasakarnis, 32, of the 23000 block of Grinton Drive, Plainfield, was booked into the Will County jail late Thursday on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, knowingly damaging property and reckless conduct.

Sgt. Mike Fisher said police responded to a home on John Adams Drive at around 11:20 p.m. Thanksgiving after a homeowner alleged that his ex-girlfriend had smashed her Ford Mustang into his garage — and also into the vehicle parked inside.

Fisher said the man told police he heard a loud banging on his front door. When he went to check, no one was at the door, but he said he spotted a black and silver Mustang — which he recognized as his ex-girlfriend's car — driving away.

Moments later, the man heard a loud bang at the back of his house. Fisher said witnesses reported seeing the Mustang repeatedly drive into the man's garage.

"Witnesses saw her drive into it, back up, and drive into it again" before speeding away, Fisher said. 

Police found Pasakarnis driving in circles around a nearby park and took her into custody, according to Fisher, who said she "horribly failed" field sobriety tests. 

Pasakarnis' alleged drunken exploit damaged the garage door, as well as the victim's car, which was pushed into the drywall between the garage and the residence, Fisher said. Damage to the garage door was estimated at around $500, while the car inside took about $1,500 in damage and another $300 in repairs are needed on the drywall, he said, calling the estimates "very conservative."

According to Will County jail records, Pasakarnis was released Nov. 29 after posting $3,500 bail.


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