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A recent study released by the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) lists Rockford with 727 DUI arrests, the highest number of any Illinois city in 2010, outside of Chicago. Rockford was followed by Naperville with 671 drunk driving arrests and Elgin with 410 arrests. The top three were closely followed by Waukegan, Carol Stream, Elmhurst, and Aurora.

The study provides an insight into the police enforcement in each of these areas. The Executive Director of AAIM stated, “There are several individuals making more DUI arrests per year than many entire police departments in Illinois.”

The study shows a drop in Chicago DUI arrests from 4,341 in 2009 to 3,695 in 2010. Illinois State Police DUI arrests increased from 9,996 in 2009 to 10,734 in 2010.

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Drew Forquer, a former dentist, was arrested for his fifth DUI in August of 2008. He was involved in a crash that resulted in the death of Jeff Bondy, 47. Bondy was driving his Harley Davidson motorcycle and fell victim to Forquer’s wide left turn. Forquer attempted to back off of Bondy, but was unable to move his car. While Forquer allegedly admitted to drinking two beers prior to driving, he told the police officer that the motorcycle had hit his car.

A Breathalyzer test was given to Forquer almost four hours after the wreck and registered a .045 percent. This Breathalyzer test has become the point of contention between the prosecution and defense attorneys. While the prosecution’s witness estimates Forquer’s BAC to have been between .084 and .123 percent at the time of the crash, the defense’s expert witness claims that, because of Forquer’s liver disease and alcoholism, his metabolism would be slowed, and his BAC would have been slightly below the legal limit.

Forquer’s defense attorney asked the judge at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building to aquit Forquer due to the immense amount of variables that can create an inaccurate BAC in cases such as this. This motion was denied.

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Paul Woodard walked into court with his public defender with hopes that his $20,000 bail would be reduced to $10,000. However, Assistant States Attorney Andrew Whitfield told a Kane County Judge about Woodward’s 25 previous driving on revoked charges, seeking to increase his bond to $150,000.

Judge Kostelny instead raised his bond to $75,000. Whitfield argued that the only way to protect the public would be to raise Woodard’s bond to keep him off the street.

Woodard was charged with aggravated DUI and aggravated driving with a revoked license. After officers tried to stop Woodward for driving 44 mph in a 30 mph zone, Woodard pulled into a driveway and allegedly attempted to flee on foot but was eventually caught. Due to his previous convictions, Woodard is facing a Class 2 felony. If convicted, Woodward’s previous drug and other felony convictions could result in an extended sentence on the new charges.

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Rodney Jones, 39, may have made it from Des Plaines to the Magnificent Mile on his Motorcycle in seven minutes if he hadn’t been stopped by Illinois State Trooper Jason Heinzl.

Jones is the fastest speeding ticket ever recorded in the Chicago area and possibly in the State of Illinois. Jones received a citation for going 182 mph in 55 mph zone with “moderate” traffic. Heinzl was in dismay when he looked at the radar but even more surprised that Jones had stopped when he pulled him over.

When asked why he didn’t run, Jones responded, “I wasn’t in the mood to run. If I’d wanted to run, I’d have run.”

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Illinois State Trooper Jason Heinzl has been on the force for 12 years and has issued more speeding tickets than any other State Trooper. His total is an astonishing 5,005 tickets. He has issued several speeding tickets to drivers going 5 mph or less over the speed limit, but also is given credit for ticketing a motorcyclist who was driving 182 mph, the fastest motorist ever caught in Illinois. Cars going over 80 mph and trucks exceeding 70 mph are the main focus of the tickets issued by State Trooper Heinzl.

Some tips to avoid a speeding ticket are being extra vigilant on Saturdays and Sundays, during morning rush hour, and between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. These days and hours are primetime for police to stop and ticket drivers. Holidays such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are peak times as well.

Illinois’ Ticketmaster: State trooper has written more than 5,000 tickets, www.suntimes.com, June 11, 2011

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William McCann, 66, was walking home when a 2002 Dodge Neon hit him as he was crossing the street. McCann hit the windshield and fell to the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver, after allegedly running over him and dragging him about 150 feet, stopped the car and took off running on foot. Off-duty Chicago Police Officer Zachary Cuatchon as well as another man identified as Adalberto Aceves, who were on the way home from work, witnessed the driver fleeing from the scene and took off after him. They were both able to tackle the driver and restrain him while a third man went to Cuatchon’s car to get his handcuffs.

Saul Chaves, 35, the driver of the vehicle, faces two felony charges, aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of an accident involving bodily injury or death.

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Carlos Estrada, 42, of Berwyn was arrested on suspicion of DUI on Wednesday, just hours before he was due to appear in court to be sentenced on a prior DUI. Just before 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Estrada was pulled over in a Dodge Durango near the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Lawton Road for an expired registration sticker. As the officer approached the vehicle, the driver sped away.

After another officer spotted the vehicle in Berwyn, Estrada allegedly blew eight stop signs in an effort to outrun the police. The chase was called off out of concern for public safety. However, around 1 a.m. the vehicle was spotted again and police followed the vehicle to Estrada’s home. After Estrada exited the vehicle, Riverside officers reportedly chased him through yards before tackling and arresting him.

Estrada’s has had a revoked driver’s license since 1985 for three DUI convictions. Police say aggravated DUI charges are pending the results of blood and urine tests. Estrada was charged with felony aggravated fleeing and eluding as well as a number of traffic citations.

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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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