Articles Posted in DUI

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William Reece, 49, of Carpentersville was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison for his ninth DUI conviction. According to Kane County officials, he was convicted after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated driving under the influence on March 7th. The DUI was charged as a Class X felony because it occurred after a fifth DUI conviction. Reece also pled guilty to driving on a revoked license, charged as a Class 4 felony.

The DUI stems from a traffic stop conducted by the West Dundee police on September 1st. Police allege that Reece’s vehicle crossed the center line. Upon further investigation, police claim he had slurred speech, glassy, red eyes and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. Reports state that he had difficulty retrieving his license and dropped the contents of his wallet on the car floor along with his cellphone. Reece refused to take field sobriety tests and admitted drinking. He consented to a breath test at the station, registering a BAC of .219 percent, almost three times the legal limit.

Between 1987 and 2007, Reece had eight DUI convictions occurring in Kane County and Lake County resulting in three prison terms. Reece is eligible for day-for-day credit during his prison sentence, effectively cutting his length of stay in half. He was also given credit for 235 days served in custody at Kane County Jail since his arrest.

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Alex Reyes, 24, is charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI resulting in death after a fatal crash with a Chicago squad car Friday night. Reyes, of Joliet, was allegedly driving a car with three passengers when he crashed into a Chicago police vehicle around 11:30 p.m. in the Austin neighborhood.

According the the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office, an 18-year-old man was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Reyes and another passenger were critically injured according to reports. Neither of the officers involved in the accident suffered life-threatening injuries but were transported to a nearby hospital. In addition to DUI and reckless homicide, Reyes was also charged with several traffic violations including driving on a suspended license, improper lane usage, driving without insurance, and two counts of damage to public property.

Man Charged With DUI, Reckless Homicide In Crash With Squad Car, www.cbslocal.com, April 15, 2013

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David Kreutz, 23, of Chicago is charged with DUI and a felony cannabis charge after an accident with a squad car on Tuesday night. Kreutz reportedly crashed into the officers’ vehicle after turning left in front of them on North Sheridan Road in Rogers Park around 7 p.m.. The two Chicago police officers were transported to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston in good condition. Kreutz, who works as a bartender, stayed at the scene after the crash. A police department spokesman claimed that he had about 50 grams of cannabis on him. He faces traffic violations including failure to yield the right of way while turning left, driving without insurance, DUI-alcohol, DUI-drugs, and faces a felony count of manufacture and delivery of cannabis. He was scheduled to appear in bond court today.

Man Charged With DUI After Crash Injures 2 Cops In Rogers Park, www.chicago.cbslocal.com, March 27, 2013

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Dean A. Suominen, 37, of Shorewood avoided jail time after pleading guilty Tuesday in DuPage County to misdemeanor DUI and reckless driving after officials allege he was traveling at more than 140 mph at the time of the incident. Suominen was charged on January 10, 2012 after his Dodge Charger veered off the road, went airborne, and struck a billboard in Naperville. His BAC was reportedly at .20, more than two times the legal limit. According to prosecutors, a data recorder in the vehicle registered a speed of 142 mph just before the car left the road. Suominen was sentenced to two years of court supervision, 100 hours of community service, over $3,000 in fines, court costs and restitution. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dismissed citations for driving too fast for conditions, improper lane usage, and speeding. He had no prior criminal history or alcohol-related driving offenses on his record according to his criminal defense attorney.

No jail for man accused of driving drunk at 142 mph, www.chicagotribune.com, February 27, 2013
Naperville driver accused of going 142 mph pleads guilty, www.dailyherald.com, February 27, 2013

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Mark Ditka, 50, of Deerfield, pled guilty Wednesday to felony drunk driving and unlawful possession of a controlled substance at the Lake County Courthouse. Prosecutors allege that he was pulled over by police after he was observed weaving on Waukegan Road in Deerfield on October 7, 2012. The legendary coach’s son was sentenced to 24 months probation and required to complete 200 hours of public service work. He must also abide by a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and random drug tests. In addition, he is not allowed to frequent any establishment whose primary purpose is the distribution of alcohol. Ditka was facing a maximum 3 years in prison.

Although this marks his fourth DUI arrest, the new charge is his first conviction for driving under the influence. He was additionally charged with drug possession after police allegedly discovered hydrocodone pills his car at the time of arrest. Ditka did not have a prescription for the painkillers. A pending DUI from 2011 was dismissed as part of the plea agreement with Lake County prosecutors.

Ditka’s son pleads guilty to DUI, avoids jail, www.suntimes.com, January 30, 2013

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Delia Aguila, 27, of Humboldt Park was allegedly driving under the influence when she struck and killed two people changing a tire in the Parkview neighborhood. At approximately 10:45 p.m. on Saturday night, Aguila’s minivan reportedly swerved and struck William Brunson, 39, of Chicago and Victoria Means, 34, of Riverdale. According to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, both of them were tragically pronounced dead on the scene. Aguila allegedly continued driving, but witnesses assisted police in locating the minivan a couple of blocks away. Aguila was charged with two counts of felony aggravated DUI, reckless driving, open alcohol, driving without a license, driving without insurance, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, improper lane usage, and failure to render aid. She is due in bond court today.

Woman charged with DUI in fatal weekend crash, www.chicagotribune.com, January 29, 2013
Humboldt Park woman charged with DUI in double fatal hit-and-run, www.suntimes.com, January 28, 2013

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Jerzy Orczyk, 60, of Glenview is charged with aggravated DUI after allegedly crashing into two cars and seriously injuring another driver. According to the Cook County sheriff’s office, on January 6 around 3 p.m. Orczyk drove through a red light at the intersection of Greenwood Road and Central Road and struck another vehicle. He allegedly continued south in the northbound lanes of Greenwood before crashing into a second vehicle and then a street sign before coming to a stop in a ditch.

Orczyk is charged with aggravated DUI resulting in great bodily harm and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident that resulted in injury or great bodily harm. His bond was set at $35,000. He reportedly has two prior DUI convictions in Cook County from 2000 and 2006. The driver of the first vehicle is a 56-year-old Wilmette man, who was taken to and released from Glenbrook Hospital. The driver of the second vehicle declined medical assistance. Orczyk was taken to Advocate Lutheran Hospital in Park Ridge.

Glenview man faces felony charge in Maine Twp. accident, www.dailyherald.com, January 10, 2013

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Glen Ray Higginbotham Jr., 34, of Yorkville was sentenced in Will County on Monday to 8 years in prison for two DUI arrests that occurred in 2010 and 2011 (4 years on each count). These arrests come after he served time in prison in 1999 for a drunken-driving crash that killed at 10-year-old girl in Lockport. At that time, Higginbotham was sentenced to 7 years in prison for reckless homicide. His driving privileges were revoked in 2000.

Candace Graham was a passenger in her mother’s car when Higginbotham crashed into the passenger side just before midnight on May 4, 1999 as they were pulling out of a convenient store. According to police, he was speeding 81 mph in a 35-mph zone. Police say he was legally intoxicated and had cocaine in his system. Reportedly, Constance Graham later admitted that she was also intoxicated when the incident occurred. At the time of the crash, Higginbotham was serving suspended sentences on convictions for theft, possessing a stolen motor vehicle, and aggravated battery.

Man who served time in girl’s 1999 DUI death gets 8 years in new DUI cases, www.chicagtribune.com, January 7, 2013

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The police chief of Robbins, Illinois has been charged with driving under the influence for the second time. Johnny Holmes, 66, was stopped in Midlothian on Saturday night after police received a 911 call from a woman reporting that he nearly hit her car. According to police, they attempted to stop his vehicle about a half-mile from his home but Holmes waited until he was about a half block from his home before pulling over. Officers claim they found a flask in his jacket and his BAC was over twice the legal limit.

The mayor and village board will meet to decide the police chief’s future employment. Holmes says he is embarrassed by the incident and apologizes to the community. His first DUI arrest occurred in 2010 and he received court supervision. He now faces six charges including two counts of DUI and illegal transportation of alcohol.

Robbins Police Chief On DUI Charges: ‘I Made A Mistake’, www.cbslocal.com, December 28, 2012

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According to a release, Gonzalo Aguilera, 28, of Elmwood Park has been charged with DUI after crashing in a Riverside forest preserve near Brookfield Zoo. On Saturday at 2:13 a.m., a caller told police that a vehicle had swerved across four lanes of 1st Avenue and crashed into the woods. Riverside police found Aguilera out of the car and bleeding from the head. The vehicle caught fire after the crash and was eventually extinguished by fire personnel. Aguilera was treated and released at Loyola University Medical Center.

Aguilera reportedly told police he had been drinking tequila margaritas and beer, and smoking marijuana. He has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs, and additional traffic offenses.

Man faces DUI charges after fiery crash in Riverside, www.chicagotribune.com, December 15, 2012

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