Chicago DUI Lawyer Blog

Brandon Reed, 23, has been charged with misdemeanor DUI after a crash in Chicago that left one female passenger dead and a 4-year-old boy injured. Reed was also ticketed for driving on a revoked license.

Reed was traveling on the 1600 block of West Harrison Street in Chicago when his vehicle crashed into a pole. Passenger Angeline De-Leon, 25, was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital. The 4-year-old boy was taken to Stroger Hospital after going into shock. Reed was also taken to the hospital in critical condition.

According to officials, witnesses allegedly heard the boy yell out of a window, "slow down dad," shortly before the vehicle crashed. The accident remains under investigation and Chicago Police say the charges against Reed may be upgraded.

Man charged with DUI in fatal crash, www.chicagobreakingnews.com, December 29, 2010

Aileen Beernink faces a potential prison sentence after her third arrest for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol. She is also accused of driving with a revoked or suspended license, driving under the influence of drugs and driving without insurance.

Beernink was spotted by a patrol officer driving with her headlights off. The officer determined she was under the influence of an unspecified narcotic and had an invalid drivers license.

Beernink was previously arrested on June 18 on two counts of DUI and multiple traffic offenses. Court records show she was placed on a year of court supervision and assessed over $2300 in fines and legal cost in that case. She was also arrested in 2008 by Naperville police in separate cases involving drug charges and driving too fast for conditions. Beernink was ticketed in 2009 for driving without headlights and earlier this year for driving too fast for conditions. She is also the defendant in a civil lawsuit filed in August where she is accused of damaging a man's vehicle during a traffic crash.

According to the DuPage County Sheriff, Beernink is being held on $5000.00 cash bond.

Woman, 21, racks up third DUI arrest, www.nbcchicago.com, December 28, 2010

Aileen Beernink, 21-year-old, jailed for third DUI offense, www.huffingtonpost.com, December 28, 2010

Elisha Clark, 25, of Grayslake was pronounced dead at the scene after a high speed DUI related crash.

Donald Mischke, 54, was fleeing police after allegedly breaking into a Target store and stealing a flat screen television set. Mischke allegedly used his vehicle to ram the front door of the Target store just enough to break in. The officer who spotted Mischke loading the television into his car tried to stop his car near the store but the defendant drove off at a high rate of speed. The officer stopped her persuit when the defendant turned onto a road with heavy traffic. Mischke allegedly ran a red light at Belvidere Road in Waukegan, striking the driver side of Clark's vehicle.

Mischke was charged with driving under the influence of drugs after his blood tested positive for cocaine. Mischke previously lost his driver's license after a 1994 DUI conviction and he has been convicted of driving on a revoked license three times.

Lake County official are still waiting for more evidence before additional charges are filed against Meschke.

Woman dies in car crash after being hit by fleeing suspect, www.cbslocal.com, December 23, 2010

More charges possible in crash that killed Grayslake woman, www.dailyherald.com, December 24, 2010

Kane County is cracking down on drunken driving on New Years Eve. The "no-refusal" operation places judges on call to grant police officers an instant warrant to draw blood from motorists arrested on charges of DUI if they refuse field sobriety tests.

Under Illinois law, drivers can't refuse a blood draw when there is probable cause to suspect they are intoxicated. Refusing a judges warrant would subject drivers to a additional charges. The aim is to make it more difficult for repeat DUI offenders to keep their drivers license. Declining to provide a sample results in a suspension of driving privileges, but repeat offenders would often prefer a suspension instead of a revocation that would come with a second DUI conviction. Results from a blood draw would make it easier to convict the driver.

Former Kane County States Attorney John Barsanti started the program two years ago and the New Years Operation will be the sixth operation held this year. The program has reportedly been successful in stopping DUI's during major holidays. The county last had a No-Refusal operation for the Fourth of July and police arrested a dozen motorist, including three with prior DUI's.

Multiple police departments and municipalities are taking part in the program. However, the communities involved and the specific areas the police will be located are not announced beforehand. Law enforcement are trying to create the feeling that police could be anywhere so its not worth the risk to drive under the influence. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, drunk driving accidents remain the leading cause of death on the nation's roads including annual spikes during the holiday season.

Kane to hold DUI sting on New Years Eve, www.dailyherald.com, December 22, 2010
Kane County to attack DUI on New Years Eve, www.chicagotribune.com, December 22, 2010

32 year old, Cristoval Jimenez Jr. was charged with felony aggravated DUI and possession of cocaine.

Police arrived on the scene to find Jimenez allegedly arguing with another man in the Orland Square Mall parking lot. It was reported that Jimenez had blocked the other motorist and was found outside his vehicle criticizing his driving.

Jimenez allegedly had alcohol on his breath and failed a field sobriety test. His license was previously revoked due to a prior DUI.

Police also reported finding less than one gram of white powder that tested positive for cocaine and burnt marijuana residue.

Motorist charged with DUI, drugs after blocking car in parking lot, www.triblocal.com, December 1, 2010

28 year old Zacaray Smith of Joliet was sentenced to 24-months court supervision and $2500.00 in fines plus court costs after critically injuring a bicyclist in 2009 while allegedly driving drunk. Smith was found guilty of misdemeanor DUI on September 1 of this year during a bench trial.

Smith is required to attend three AA meetings each week and then enroll in drug and alcohol counseling. He must attend a victim impact panel and and show continued proof of employment.

On August 23, 2009 Smith was eastbound on Black Road in a Jeep when two westbound bicyclists turned into the eastbound lane. A vehicle in front of Smith avoided the two but Smith crashed into one of the bicyclists. The accident occurred on Brentwood Drive at 10:15 p.m., both bicyclist had headlights. Smith remained at the scene after the collision.

Smith's BAC was nearly three times the legal limit. He was charged with four counts of aggravated DUI.

Joliet man sentenced to court supervision for DUI accident that critically injured cyclist, www.triblocal.com, November 12, 2010

Scott Rossow of Palos Hills was convicted on November 29, 2010 of Aggravated DUI in connection with a one-car collision that killed his two passengers in 2006.

Rossow was allegedly driving in excess of 100 mph on St Francis Road when he left the roadway and hit a tree in the early morning hours of December 8, 2006. Rossow and his two passengers were ejected from the vehicle. Passengers Christopher C. Sommers, a longtime friend and petty officer third class in the U.S. Coast Guard, and Rossow's step brother, Davis Sauseda, died at the scene.

Rossow's defense attorney attempted to argue that Rossow was not driving the car. Evidence from a highly technical reconstruction report was used to prove who was responsible for the crash.

He was found guilty at the conclusion of an eight day bench trial. Rossow, 27, faces up to 28 years in prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 21, 2011.

Palos Heights man convicted of aggravated DUI in wreck that killed two, www.triblocal.com, November 29, 2010