Woman charged with fabricating story about forest preserve stabbing

Veronica Klicka. Photo from Cook County sheriff’s police

A woman made up a story about being stabbed in a northwest suburban forest preserve after injuring herself with a knife, believing she would be in trouble with the law if she was caught with a weapon, authorities claim.

Veronica Klicka, 33, is charged with one count of felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, according to a statement from the Cook County sheriff’s office.

The 33-year-old claimed she was jogging on a Deer Grove Forest Preserve path about 4:15 p.m. Nov. 29, near Quentin and Dundee roads in Palatine, when a man ran up and stabbed her in the abdomen, according to an initial statement from Cook County Forest Preserve District police.

The woman drove to a nearby home on Quentin south of Dundee, where emergency crews were dispatched. She was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where her condition was stabilized, police said.

While investigating, detectives learned she actually injured herself with the knife and made up a story about being stabbed, police claim.

“She fabricated that someone had stabbed her because she believed she was not supposed to be in possession of any weapons because she is on court-ordered supervision for DUI,” the statement from sheriff’s police said.

Klicka, of the 200 block of Bradley in Des Plaines, was released on her own recognizance at a bond hearing Saturday, court records show. She will next appear in court for a preliminary hearing Tuesday at 26th and California.