Crest Hill man arrested after complaints at Joliet towing company

A Crest Hill man whose vehicle was towed to Dick’s Towing Service in Joliet was accused of pointing a replica handgun at an employee of the business, police said.

About 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, officers responded to Dick’s Towing Service, 909 N. Broadway St., for a report of a gun complaint, said Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

When officers arrived, they determined that Jeremiah Shelby, 32, had arrived at the business to pick up his GMC Yukon vehicle, which had been towed from an address in Crest Hill, English said.

“It is believed that when Shelby exited the parking lot of the business, he pointed what appeared to be a black handgun at an employee,” English said.

Afterward, Shelby fled the area, he said.

At 10 p.m. the next day, officers conducted a traffic stop on the GMC Yukon and identified Shelby as the driver of the vehicle, English said.

Shelby was placed into custody without incident, he said.

Officers recovered the handgun and they determined it was an airsoft handgun, English said. Airsoft guns are replicas of firearms that fire plastic pellets that are not lethal.

Shelby was arrested on probable cause of aggravated assault. He was released from police custody on his own recognizance.