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Five people were taken to hospitals after a crash in the Little Village neighborhood between a truck and an SUV at 1:30 a.m. on July 14th. Both vehicles rolled over on their sides and the driver of the truck, Roberto Curiel, 21, was alleged to be driving under the influence. He was charged with DUI, disobeying a traffic signal, failure to reduce speed, and failure to produce a driver’s license, according to the police department.

Curiel and a 55-year-old man inside the SUV were both considered to be in serious condition, while the three other victims, all women, were said to have been hospitalized for minor injuries or listed in good condition.

Driver cited with DUI in Little Village rollover crash, www.chicagotribune.com, July 14, 2011

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Prosecutors allege that Sam Manyfield, 69, of Chicago drove his Jeep Cherokee through a red light at 8:45 a.m. on July 5th, killing 52-year-old Yvonne Williams. Williams was crossing the street in a crosswalk at Ashland Avenue. After striking Williams, Manyfield allegedly continued driving until a Chicago Police vehicle pulled him over.

According to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, when police got Manyfield out of his vehicle, he had trouble standing and an empty bottle of gin fell from his car. When taken to Mercy Hospital, his blood-alcohol content was .316, nearly four times the legal limit. Manyfield was charged with aggravated DUI involving a death, reckless homicide, failure to yield to a pedestrian, driving on a suspended license, driving without insurance, and leaving the scene of an accident. Bail was set at $350,000.

Bail set at $350K for man charged in fatal DUI hit-and-run crash, www.chicagotribune.com, July 7, 2011

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On July 3 at 2:53 a.m., a freight train on a Canadian Pacific line was struck by a pickup truck driven by Jeffrey S. Fisher, 39, of Carol Stream. On July 4th, the passenger in the car, Eva Meyers, died from her injuries. Fisher was found to have blood alcohol content of .18 and was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. He was taken to DuPage County Jail and bond was set at $500,000. Fisher is said to have been driving on a suspended driver’s license.

DUI charge filed against man who hit locomotive, www.wgnradio.com, July 11, 2011

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Marquis Harrison, a 16 year-old honors student at Urban Prep Charter Academy, left a party around 6 a.m. on July 11 allegedly high on ecstasy, marijuana, and vodka. Harrison noticed that the driver of a Range Rover went to pay the parking meter in Old Town and seized the opportunity. He proceeded to steal the vehicle.

Police noticed the car running a red light and attempted to pull it over. At the traffic stop, Harrison allegedly backed into the officer’s patrol vehicle almost hitting two other officers and then led the police on a chase. He ran another stoplight where he crashed into a car, resulting in the death of the driver, Marciea Adkins, 42. Adkins was on her way home from work as a Chicago police dispatcher. Her husband is a Fire Department dispatcher and the two have an 8 year-old daughter.

Harrison was arrested a couple blocks from the scene. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where tests showed his BAC at .186. This is not Harrison’s first run-in with the law. He was caught twice at 13 in a stolen car and placed on juvenile probation. He had a grade-point average of 3.79 after his freshman year and led his football team to an undefeated conference record, even earning rookie of the year.

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Carl T. Raymond, 40, was arrested after he was spotted driving a Chevy Impala while intoxicated into a gate at the Fox River Water Reclamation District on the evening of July 4th. He was charged with unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, damage to state property, trespass to property, trespass to vehicle and driving under the influence.

Raymond allegedly stole the vehicle from the district after finding the keys inside. Police are unsure how he gained entry into the gated water facility.

Raymond was reportedly found wearing only boxer briefs and socks and appeared to be “highly intoxicated.” He repeatedly admitted to officers that the vehicle was not his.

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Sandra Uher, 54, of Elgin was sentenced to eight years in prison and $6,950 in fines after she showed up intoxicated for a hearing on her sixth DUI. The preliminary findings for the most current DUI show that Uher had a blood-alcohol level of .30 percent.

On March 28 of this year, she ran a stop sign in Elgin and crashed into another car. The court could have sentenced her to up to 30 years in prison because of the previous convictions. Before eligible for parole, Uher is required to complete at least 50 percent of her sentence. In court, Uher maintained that she has an addiction and is doing her best to deal with it.

Elgin woman gets 8 years for sixth DUI, www.dailyherald.com, June 30, 2011

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Kristine Alajoki of Algonquin allegedly drove her car over a berm at the intersection of West Algonquin Road and Frank Road. The vehicle went airborne into a retention pond in the early hours of Sunday morning. When emergency crews arrived, the 44 year-old woman was on the shore of the pond while the 2003 Jeep Liberty SUV was submerged 20 feet underwater.

Alajoki was alone in the vehicle at the time of the accident. It is not clear how she escaped the vehicle, but officers believe she got out through the back hatch. When police finally pulled the SUV from the water after 4 hours, only the hatch was open. Alajoki’s charges include DUI, driving without insurance and improper lane usage.

Woman drives SUV into Algonquin pond, www.dailyherald.com, June 28, 2011

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Martin Candia, 31, was driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.095 when the parked SUV he crashed into pinned a 10-year-old boy between two vehicles. The boy, Calvin Santos, died later that morning.

Candia plead guilty to one count of aggravated DUI involving a death and was sentenced to 7 years in prison as a result of the May 2010 crash.

The boys father, Bulmaro Santos, wrote in an victim impact statement that since his son was killed, he has be tormented of thoughts of “what if.” Calvin was an energetic and respectful boy who enjoyed sports and dreamed of being an FBI agent because he wanted to “protect people.”

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The Illinois Department of Transportation is reminding motorist to drive sober this Fourth of July weekend.

In an effort to ensure safe roadways and prevent DUI, the Illinois State Police along with over 300 local police and sheriff departments are conducting roadside safety checks as well as nighttime safety belt enforcement zones. Additionally, patrols will be on alert for impaired drivers and seat belt violators.

In 2009, there were 319 deaths in crashes involving an impaired driver. Last July 4th weekend, seven people lost their lives due to a drunk driver. The total financial cost associated with driving under the influence can be extremely high, along with possible jail time and the suspension and/or revocation of your driver’s license.

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Lidia Zuradzka, of Wheeling, was arrested on June 13 in Northbrook, Illinois for driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, and three counts of endangering the life of a child. Zuradzka was working as a nanny at the time and had three kids in the car. Police say she collided with another vehicle and left the scene of the minor accident. There were no injuries reported.

According to the Cook County Circuit Clerk’s Office, Zuradzka had previously been sentenced to one-year in jail in 2006 after she was convicted of criminal trespassing. She served four months and was released this past March and placed on parole.

Nanny Charged With DUI, Child Endangerment, www.northbrook.patch.com, June 20, 2011