Articles Posted in DUI

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Rakesh J. Baker, 23, is alleged to have driven his SUV the wrong way for over five miles on the outbound Stevenson Expressway early Friday morning. The incident ended with Baker’s vehicle crashing head-on into a small car on a ramp to Lake Shore Drive. Both drivers were seriously injured according to police. Baker, has been charged with DUI, driving the wrong way, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and driving without insurance. He was placed into custody at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

A 24-year-old South Side woman was driving the other vehicle and was also taken to Northwestern with serious injuries. Police say that that luckily neither driver experienced life-threatening injuries. Illinois State Police began receiving calls around 3 a.m. reporting that an SUV was traveling the wrong way on the Stevenson. The crash occured at approximately 3:15 a.m. According to court records, Baker recieved more than a half-dozen Cook County traffic tickets over the last five years. He was released upon bond after his arrest.

DUI charges for wrong-way driver after collision on Stevenson ramp, www.chicagotribune.com, February 3, 2012

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Arsenio Garcia, 24, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor DUI Saturday morning after allegedly striking a Chicago Police squad car. Police say Garcia was wearing only his underwear and socks when he was arrested.

Police were contacted by a concerned citizen around 11 a.m. when the vehicle in question was driving through an alley on the 2800 block of North Kostner Avenue on the city’s Northwest Side. The vehicle eventually drove the wrong way on a one-way street and collided with a squad car that was responding to the area.

Police officials say that after the crash, the man opened the door and fell out of the car wearing only his underwear and socks. He was transported to a hospital for minor scrapes. The Chicago officer driving the squad car was also taken to a local hospital for minor injuries.

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Alia Bernard, 27, of Aurora pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI on Friday in Kane County. Bernard had allegedly been reaching for a pair of sunglasses when she rear-ended a stopped car on Illinois Route 47 in 2009. The vehicle that Bernard struck hit another vehicle waiting to make a left turn. That vehicle was pushed into the oncoming lane and into the path of motorcyclists who then struck her car. Wade and Denise Thomas, a couple from St. Charles, were killed in the accident.

Bernard’s criminal defense attorney claimed that although his client had marijuana in her system, she had not used the drug in three or four days before the accident occurred. As a result, she was not impaired at the time. However, the Illinois Supreme Court recently affirmed that any amount of an illegal substance in a driver’s system can support an aggravated DUI charge.

Bernard faces six to twenty-eight years in prison, or probation. She has no prior criminal record. Sentencing will be held on February 8 in Kane County.

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Hector Barajas, 23, was charged with driving under the influence as a result of a two-car crash that left one man dead and three other people injured. One of the vehicles hit a light pole.

One victim was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital an hour after the crash. Two of the other victims were taken to the hospital in serious to critical condition, while the third was in good to fair condition.

Along with DUI charges, Barajas was cited for reckless driving, driving without insurance and speeding.

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Eric M. Barth, formerly of South Elgin, was sentenced to five years in jail and must also participate in Illinois Impact Incarceration Program for severely injuring a couple in a December 2010 DUI crash.

Barth, 22, was driving a Chevy pickup truck when his vehicle crossed into the opposite lane of traffic and struck another SUV head-on causing a sedan traveling behind the SUV to strike both vehicles. The driver and passenger of the SUV suffered serious injuries. The passengers of the other vehicles suffered minor injuries.

Barth fled the scene of the crash but returned shortly thereafter. Responding officers found two empty and two unopened beer cans on the floor of the the front driver’s seat. Barth’s blood alcohol level was more than 2 1/2 times the legal limit at .207 percent. He plead guilty to two counts of aggravated DUI.

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Julio Duran, 27, was charged with aggravated DUI after crashing into an auto repair shop in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood around 1:20 a.m. last Friday. Duran allegedly measured a BAC of .294, more than the three times the legal limit.

Duran was taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. He remained in the hospital on Saturday while a judge ordered him held on $250,000 bond.

Duran was also cited for Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident, Driving on a Revoked License and Driving without Insurance.

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Geno Green, 25, was charged with felony aggravated DUI after a crash that left a 52 year old woman severely injured. The victim, who’s name has not been released, was crossing the street when Green allegedly struck her with his vehicle throwing her onto the pavement. She was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.

Green has also been charged with Possession of Marijuana, Failure to Yield to a Pedestrian, Failure to Carry a Driver’s License and Failure to Reduce Speed.

Court records show Green was previously charged with felony Possession of a Controlled Substance in 2010 but charges were later dropped. He was also charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in connection to a Traffic case earlier this year but those charges were also dropped.

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Ashante Williams, 21, has been sentenced to two years of court supervision after pleading guilty to driving under the influence. As part of his sentence, Williams is required to continue alcohol abuse treatment, 125 hours of community service and pay a $1250.00 fine.

Williams was arrested in July with a BAC of .177 percent, over twice the legal limit. He was suspended from the University of Illinois football team after his arrest but has since rejoined the team.

Court supervision is a non-conviction disposition in Illinois. The sentence will not appear on his public record if he completes the terms of his sentence satisfactorily.

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Joleena Ramos, 23, was charged with two counts of DUI after she crashed her car into a Chili’s restaurant in the Morgan Park neighborhood. The crash caused a small fire in the restaurant which was quickly extinguished. Eight people were sent to several nearby hospitals.

Ramos was found behind the wheel of her car after the crash. In addition to driving under the influence, she was also cited for driving on a suspended license, driving without insurance, damage to public property, and failure to reduce speed.

Woman ticketed for DUI after weekend restaurant crash, www.chicagotribune.com, October 17, 2011

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Marlon Dampier, 24, was sentenced to 10 years in prison as a result of a fatal 2008 roller rink parking lot crash. Dampier plead guilty to driving under the influence at Markham Court House earlier this month.

Dampier’s blood alcohol level was nearly twice the limit at .157 percent when he crashed into another car in the parking lot of the Markham Roller Rink. The other car rolled over from the force of the collision and a passenger, Johnathan Fultz, was injured. Fultz later died from his injuries while three other passengers suffered severe injuries.

Dampier was detained by witnesses as he attempted to flee the scene.

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