Off-duty Will County deputy charged with disturbance at Mokena school

An off-duty Will County sheriff’s deputy was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct after causing a disturbance at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Mokena.

The misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge was filed Thursday against Edward Goewey, 46, of Mokena.

Special Prosecutor Bill Elward was assigned to the case.

Will County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said Goewey is a patrol deputy with the sheriff’s office and has been on a workers’ compensation leave of absence since September 2020 because of an injury he suffered on the job.

Elward’s criminal complaint accused Goewey of remaining in St. Mary Catholic School on Dec. 3 after he was asked to leave and to stop yelling.

According to the complaint, Goewey had insisted that a student be removed from the school, located at 11409 195th St.

After Goewey was told numerous times that the “school had dealt with the student in issue,” Goewey continued to yell and not leave, according to the complaint. At one point, Goewey had “tapped his hip and said he was at the school in his capacity as an off-duty sheriff’s deputy.”

Elward’s complaint accused Goewey of acting in “such an reasonable manner” as to alarm a man and employees of the school and “provoke the breach of peace.”

Judge Art Smigielski signed a summons for Goewey to appear in court March 7 to answer the disorderly conduct charge.