Cops make pot bust in Palatine

A Palatine man was jailed after police responding to an emergency call at his home found marijuana plants growing there, authorities said Saturday.

David Wasiewicz, 53, of the 1100 block of West Colfax Street, is charged with felony counts of production of cannabis and possession of cannabis.

Wasiewicz was arrested Friday afternoon after police and fire department crews responded to an emergency call at his home, where they were told a woman wasn’t breathing, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Hailey Peck said during a bond hearing Saturday morning at the Rolling Meadows courthouse.

As firefighters treated the woman, Wasiewicz’s roommate, authorities found 11 cannabis plants growing in Wasiewicz’s bedroom, Peck said. They also found lights, fans and equipment used to grow cannabis plants, Peck said.

Police found nearly a half-pound of cultivated marijuana, too, Peck said.

The smell of marijuana was “immediately apparent” in the house, Palatine police Sgt. Larry Canada said.

After the roommate was treated, Wasiewicz drove to the Palatine police station, where he admitted the plants and drugs were his, Peck said.

Police reports didn’t indicate what was wrong with Wasiewicz’s roommate. She was taken to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, police said.

Her medical condition was not available Saturday.

Police didn’t know about the marijuana-growing operation before Friday’s emergency call, Canada said.

Wasiewicz’s bond was set Saturday morning at $5,000 by Judge Edward N. Pietrucha. He is next scheduled to appear in court June 24.