Police report: Victim says DuPage sheriff candidate Eddie Moore ‘smelled of alcohol’ after February incident

The police report detailing a Valentine’s Day incident in which sheriff candidate Eddie Moore allegedly struck a restaurant employee after a late-night dinner with his wife has been released, with the victim stating that Moore “smelled of alcohol.”

The report’s release comes just six days before the GOP primary, in which Moore, the current DuPage County Undersheriff and hand-picked successor of gubernatorial candidate and current DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, is set to face Oakbrook Terrace Police Officer Sean Noonan, a former member of the DuPage County Board.

The incident unfolded around 11 p.m. on Feb. 14, after Moore and his wife, Brandi, had finished their Valentine’s Day dinner at the Oak Brook location of Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse.

According to the police report posted to Facebook by former GOP precinct committeeman Terry Newsome, the victim “stated he was struck from behind by a black Lincoln Navigator, which subsequently ran over his right leg. [The victim] identified the driver as middle-aged Male/Black individual, later identified as Edmond Moore.” 

“[The victim] advised that he photographed a tire mark on his right leg on the date of occurrence and provided additional photographs,” the police report reads. 

The incident was captured on a surveillance camera at PNC Bank across the street from Gibsons, appearing to show Moore striking the restaurant employee, according to police.

“[The victim] stated that after regaining his footing, he confronted the driver, asking if he had been drinking and stating he smelled of alcohol,” the police report reads. 

A witness to the incident told police that after being struck, the victim “appeared disoriented and slow to respond when asked about his injuries and whether he required an ambulance. She observed a tire mark on [the victim’s] leg.” 

The witness also told police that Moore did not appear concerned about the victim. “In her opinion, the driver did not display a sense of urgency consistent with having struck a pedestrian,” the police report reads. 

The witness also noted the victim “accused the driver of drinking and that the driver denied consuming alcohol.” 

The victim asked that police and emergency medical services not be called to the scene of the incident due to “concerns about [the victim’s] immigration status.” 

After the incident, Moore exited the vehicle to check on the victim. When his wife, Brandi, joined him, Moore got into the passenger seat, and she reportedly drove the couple away from the scene.

The victim said he photographed the license plate of Moore’s vehicle and that he only notified police of the incident three days later, on Feb. 17, after the phone number Brandi Moore provided at the scene did not work.

Moore was contacted by Oak Brook Police on Feb. 21 but did not answer calls or respond to investigators.

It was not until nine days later, on March 2, that Moore responded through a prepared statement submitted to police by his attorney.

In the statement, Moore stopped short of admitting that he had struck the victim.

“While driving west I noticed an individual fall near my driver’s side door and driver’s side mirror,” Moore’s statement reads. 

Moore also noted, “upon inspection of my vehicle, I have not observed any damage.” However, according to the police report, surveillance footage appears to show Moore striking the victim.

Despite several FOIA requests, including from the DuPage Policy Journal, the Oak Brook Police Department has not released the video footage of the incident.

“Upon review of the surveillance video provided by PNC Bank, I observed the black Lincoln Navigator listed above strike [the victim] with its vehicle,” Oak Brook Police Officer Justin Zychowski said in his incident report. 

Zychowski’s report concludes by suggesting charges should not be brought against Moore, providing guidance under Illinois law 625 ILCS 5/11-403. regarding the “duty to give information and render aid.” 

The victim’s accusation that Moore was drinking comes months after the DuPage Policy Journal reported on a 2021 incident in which Moore pleaded guilty after being named the “primary aggressor” in a bar brawl that resulted in a security guard’s finger being broken. Deputies who investigated that incident noted that Moore “showed signs of intoxication: bloodshot eyes, slurred speech.”

Moore was placed on administrative leave following the DuPage Policy Journal’s exposé on the more recent incident, published Thursday, March 5, two days after Moore’s attorney contacted the Oak Brook Police to provide a statement.

In the early morning hours of March 11, Moore released a statement on social media noting that he had been removed from administrative leave.

“After a full review by the Oak Brook Police Department and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, and discussion with the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, no additional action was deemed necessary,” Moore said in a Facebook post.

Critics have lined up against Moore following the incident investigation. He has lost endorsements from DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and DuPage County Board member Cindy Cronin Cahill.

Following the publication of the police report others have called for him to drop out of the campaign altogether.

“It’s time for Eddie Moore to end his campaign,’ Newsome said in a Facebok post accompanying the police report. “As I assumed the reason he didn’t call the police immediately is due to possiblly being caught DRUNK for the second time on a police body cam. If Moore makes it to the general election DuPage County will have its first Democratic Sheriff in a Century.”

Read the full police report below.