Articles Posted in DUI

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Monday evening, four women and four children were southbound on I-90/94 near 75th Street when the driver allegedly lost control and struck a guard rail. According to the Illinois State Police, three of the four children were ejected from the two-door Oldsmobile Cutlass, none of them were wearing a seal belt. Four adult women were also injured in the crash, the driver was taken to Stroger Hospital. An 11-month-old, Everett Bramlett, was killed in the crash according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. As of 8 p.m. last night, a 6-year-old boy was listed in critical condition and two female children were listed in good condition.

Alcohol was allegedly a factor in the accident and DUI charges are pending against the woman who was driving. The crash closed the Dan Ryan Expresway for about two hours on Monday evening.

Alcohol blamed in Ryan crash that killed child, injured 7, www.chicagotribune.com, May 31, 2011

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Dwight Washington, 61, has been charged with felony aggravated driving under the influence after allegedly plowing into a crowd of eight people on Chicago’s near North Side last weekend. The truck lost control at the three-way intersection of Rush, Cedar, and State streets. Several pedestrians were injured including persons posing for wedding photos.

Washington works for the Chicago streets and sanitation department. A Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney told a judge that Washington’s BAC was .183 at the time and a bottle of brandy was found in the defendant’s Ford F150. Washington’s bond was set at $400,000, he was also charged with negligent driving, failure to reduce speed and transporting open alcohol in a vehicle. Washington was allegedly involved in another accident since being hired by the city, however, the prior accident did not involve alcohol.

The City of Chicago as well as Washington are being sued by the injured.

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Prison inmate John Francis Wood, 49, has filed suit against DuPage County jail guards who he claims are responsible for losing his $9,000.00 dentures.

The lawsuit states Woods left the dentures in a cup in his cell during a shakedown in May of 2009 and when he re-entered the room the cup was on the floor but the dentures were missing.

Woods is seeking to have the bridge replaced plus a reasonable amount for his “pain and suffering.” Woods was incarcerated after a DUI charge and is currently serving ten years in a state prison.

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Kimberly Bradley, 39, is facing felony and misdemeanor DUI charges after an accident that left two people in her vehicle dead and nine others also in the car injured. The 2003 Mazda SUV Bradley was driving northbound on South Kostner flipped when she attempted to pass the vehicle in front of hers and struck the car causing her to lose control of her vehicle and crash head-on into another vehicle in the oncoming lane of traffic.

Bradley’s vehicle flipped over, throwing several of the passengers who were not wearing seat belts from the SUV and entrapping others. All 11 people in her vehicle were injured and sent to the hospital suffering brain and lung injuries, broken bones, fractures, back injuries and lacerations. Three remained intubated on a ventilator in critical condition. The driver of the other vehicle was not hospitalized. Two of the victims, Jarrell Billingsley, 19, and a unidentified woman in her 40’s were pronounced dead at the hospital.

Cook County prosecutors say Bradley’s blood alcohol content after conversion was just over twice the legal limit at .165 percent. She signed a handwritten statement admitting to drinking beer that night and being the driver of the SUV. Bradley is charged with two counts of aggravated DUI involving an accident resulting in death, seven counts of aggravated DUI involving an accident resulting in great bodily harm, and one count of DUI involving an accident resulting in great bodily harm to a passenger under 16. She is also being charged with misdemeanor counts of DUI, driving on a suspended license, DUI blood alcohol content over 0.08 percent. Bradley received citations for driving to the left of center and operating a motor vehicle without insurance.

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David Soto, 47, of Chicago has been charged with aggravated DUI resulting in death as a result of a fatal accident, which took place Tuesday night. Justyna Palka, 26, was in a crosswalk on Columbus Drive at Illinois Street in the Streeterville neighborhood when a tour bus, driven by Soto, hit her. According to witnesses, the driver of the tour bus turned into the intersection while the pedestrians had the right-of-way to cross. No passengers were on the bus at the time of the accident. A witness claimed that Soto looked shocked and was crying when placed in the back of a police car.

According to police, Soto tested positive for cocaine, which resulted in DUI charges. Police also learned during their investigation that Soto was wanted in connection with an investigation of sex offenes involving children. Soto has a criminal record involving aggravated criminal sexual assault. According to the Secretary of State, his commercial driver’s license was suspended in August of 2008 for speeding and driving without insurance. However, his driver’s license was valid at the time of the accident.

Justyna Palka was an ad agency art director. Less than fifteen minutes after the accident, she was declared dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Soto’s first court appearance is scheduled for today.

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25 year old and mother of one, Michelle Eustis, died of head injuries and trauma after her boyfriend allegedly struck the horse she and a friend were riding with his truck.

Eustis, her friend Heather France, and a few others were socializing in a Balmoral Park barn in Crete when the two girls decided to take Rendezvous, a horse trained by Eustis’ father, out for a ride bareback late that night. When the women didn’t return after a half hour, Eustis’ boyfriend, Angus Lake, jumped into his Dodge Ram and went looking for them.

An accident reconstruction determined Lake came up on the women too fast and tried to brake, sending his truck into a slide and striking the horse. Lake admitted to having as many as six shots before getting into his vehicle. His blood alcohol level was 0.147, nearly twice the legal limit. France suffered a broken leg and shoulder and may have been left partially paralyzed by the accident.

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Edward Stapinski, 36, was facing reckless homicide charges after his 2009 DUI crash, but those charges were dismissed after he plead guilty last Monday to aggravated driving under the influence. Stapinski was sentenced at the Bridgeview Courthouse to six years in prison of which 85 percent must be served.

Stapinski was off-duty when he was arrested for his DUI accident in December of 2009. According to prosecutors, Stapinski was going 80 mph heading south on the Stevenson when he swerved into the left shoulder and struck the concrete median. His vehicle catapulted over the barrier into the opposite lanes of traffic and struck a vehicle driven by Man K. “Mike” Wong. Wong was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Stapinski admitted to drinking beer at a West Loop bar from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. He declined a Breathalyzer test at the scene of the crash but responding officers reported he had a strong smell of alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot and he had slurred speech. Blood analysis done at the hospital showed his blood alcohol level to be 0.223 percent, which is more than three times the legal limit.

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Jeff Kuna, 38, started teaching driver’s education and physical education on August 21, 2008. But after hearing about his recent DUI arrest, Valley View School District reportedly swapped his classes so he isn’t teaching driver’s education any longer. Kuna is also the Romeoville High School’s head football coach.

Kuna was arrested on February 20, 2011 for driving under the influence and speeding on Route 126 and Schlapp Road. He was pulled over with three passengers in his car at 3:12 a.m.

If convicted, Kuna could face up to one year in jail, $2,500.00 in fines and have his driver’s license revoked.

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John Jackson, 62, was spotted by Chicago Police driving south on Halsted with his headlights off. Upon pulling him over, the officers found did not have a valid driver’s license or proof of insurance, and believed that he was under the influence of alcohol.

According to police reports, when the officers asked Jackson if he had been drinking he stated, “I had a little, I’m not drunk. I’m suspended for a DUI, I go to court tomorrow.” After searching his vehicle, police allegedly discovered a half empty bottle of Hennessey Cognac.

Jackson was given a Breathalyzer test and charged with felony aggravated DUI, misdemeanor driving on a suspended license, and cited for driving without insurance, no headlights, and illegal transportation of alcohol.

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Enrique Lopez, 26, a Cook County Juvenile Counselor was allegedly found passed out in his vehicle on the night of St. Patricks Day.

When police approached Lopez he refused to exit the vehicle. Officers claim that Lopez seemed confused, handing over his baseball cap when asked for his keys. The officers attempted to remove him from his Infiniti G35 after he failed to follow orders but he struggled with them and in the scuffle allegedly punched one of the officers in the face. After he was subdued, police found a plastic bag containing cannabis on the ground. Lopez was charged with DUI, reckless driving, possession of marijuana and resisting an officer.

Juvy counselor arrested on DUI, pot charges, www.nbcchicago.com, March 20, 2011

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