Siblings plead guilty in videotaped Wheeling arrests
A pair of siblings whose videotaped arrests in June led to accusations of excessive force against Wheeling police pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest.
Christian Ruiz, 19, of the 700 block of North Wolf Road in Wheeling, was sentenced to five days in the Cook County jail after admitting guilt to obstructing police. He will receive one day of credit for time already served.
His 21-year-old sister, Ashley Rodriguez, of the 5400 block of North East River Road in Chicago, pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and was sentenced to two days in jail, time she had already served. She must also pay a $379 fine, defense attorney Peter Lewis said.
The siblings were arrested June 6 after officers responded to reports of a fight outside an apartment building at 87 N. Wolf Road, police said. According to police, when officers arrived they saw Ruiz and a juvenile, who they identified as known gang members, walking away from the scene at a fast pace.
When Rodriguez approached the group, police said, officers advised her to stay 10-12 feet away. She refused then resisted when officers attempted to arrest her, according to police reports.
Reports state that when Ruiz then tried to intervene in his sister's arrest, police pushed him against a wall, took him to the ground and arrested him.
The siblings' mother later claimed that officers used excessive force during the confrontation, which was videotaped and posted online by a witness. However, Wheeling police said an internal review cleared officers of the allegations.