Chicago DUI Lawyer Blog

A Cook County Judge ruled yesterday that key evidence couldn’t be used in the case against a Chicago police officer involved in a fatal alleged DUI crash. The Chicago officer was filmed drinking substantial amounts of alcohol minutes prior to a car crash that resulted in the deaths of Miguel Flores and Erick Lagunas. The crash occurred on Thanksgiving Day 2007 while Officer John Ardelean was off duty.

Judge Thomas Gainer Jr.’s ruling throws out Ardelean’s arrest based on a lack of probable cause. His criminal defense attorneys challenged the arrest based on the accounts of two officers, a sergeant, and a fire department paramedic who all claimed that Ardelean didn’t appear intoxicated at the scene. Only several hours later did a police lieutenant suspect he was intoxicated, at which time he was subject to a Breathalyzer.

Adelean had been charged with four counts of aggravated DUI and two counts of reckless homicide. He had been filmed drinking at the Martini Ranch Bar just minutes prior to the crash. Prosecutors must decide whether to proceed on those charges by the next court date (May 25th at 26th and California).

James V. Lobianco, a Chicago deputy commissioner, has resigned after getting into an alleged DUI-related accident in Lakeview while driving a city-issued car.

On April 15, Lobianco was driving a Toyota Prius registered to the city when he allegedly hit the car in front of him at a red light, causing a chain-reaction. No one was injured.

Lobianco allegedly refused field sobriety tests as well as a Breathalyzer test. He was subsequently charged with driving under the influence and failure to reduce speed.

A Palatine man was charged with two counts of aggravated DUI after allegedly rear-ending a cab on the Kennedy. According to the Illinois State Police, the crash occurred at approximately 3:45 a.m. The cab was pulled over on the right side of the northbound Kennedy because a passenger was feeling ill. As a second-time DUI offender, the 25-year-old driver, Joseph R. Lowery, was charged with two counts of aggravated DUI.

Lowery was driving a Lexus when he allegedly rear-ended the minivan taxi. A female passenger was leaning out of the curbside door when the crash occurred. The impact ejected the 26-year-old woman, who was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition. The taxi was allegedly on the right shoulder and partially in the right lane of traffic.

Lowery, the taxi driver, as well as the four other taxi passengers were taken to hospitals in unidentified conditions.

Kyle Sievert, 23, of Arlington Heights has been charged with DUI resulting from a traffic crash in Crystal Lake that ended in the death of a 24-year-old woman. Sievert was driving a Trans Am Saturday night with 3 passengers. At approximately 11:28PM, Sievert reportedly lost control of his vehicle, entering the opposite lane of traffic and into the path of a Jeep Cherokee. The passenger side of Sievert’s Trans Am struck the front of the Jeep.

Sievert was treated for injuries and then taken into custody by the Crystal Lake Police. One of his passengers, Vanessa Toby, of Schaumburg, died from her injuries later at the hospital. His two additional passengers were treated for injuries, while the driver and passenger of the Jeep were examined and released on scene.

Sievert was charged with aggravated DUI resulting in a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, and aggravated DUI resulting in an accident resulting in great bodily harm, as well as failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and improper lane usage. He remained in the McHenry County Jail after a $75,000 bond was set on Monday.

Onofrio Lorusso, 19, pled guilty in a Kane County court Wednesday to one count of reckless homicide and three counts of aggravated driving under the influence. The charges relate to a June 14, 2009 crash which resulted in the death of passenger Cameron Godee of West Chicago. Godee was Lorusso’s best friend. Prosecutors allege that Lorusso was driving 77 mph in a 25 mph zone in St. Charles when his vehicle skid off the road hitting a mailbox, two trees, and a parked car. Godee died at the scene and two additional passengers were seriously injured. Tests showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.227, almost three times the legal limit for Illinois drivers age twenty-one or over. Chemical tests also found traces of marijuana in Lorusso’s system at the time of the accident.

The judge has allowed Lorusso to stay out on bond in order to finish his current semester at Robert Morris College in Chicago. Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, where Lorusso will face up to fourteen years in prison. Lorusso’s defense attorney hopes for probation based on Lorusso’s age, guilty plea and clean history.

Wayne man pleads guilty in crash that killed W. Chicago passenger, DailyHerald.com, March 31, 2010

Nineteen year old Steven Hanner was found guilty Friday of aggravated DUI, resulting from a 2006 crash that killed another man. Hanner was accused of pulling in the path of a motorcycle driven by Ronald Hale. Court records indicate that six different drugs including marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine were found in Hanner’s system after the accident.

A Mt. Vernon jury deliberated for over 8-hours before reaching a verdict shortly before midnight. Hanner was tried as an adult and convicted of both aggravated DUI as well as marijuana possession. A sentencing date has not been set, but Hanner will face between three and fourteen years in prison. Hanner’s criminal defense attorney argued that Hanner should be allowed to remain free on bail until the sentencing hearing, but his request was denied.

Man convicted in deadly southern Ill. wreck, ABCLocal.com, March 29, 2010

Eddie Lumpkin, of Chicago, has been accused of driving with alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine in his system, resulting in a crash that killed a 6-year-old girl last month. The Cook County State’s Attorney will prosecute Lumpkin for reckless homicide, two counts of aggravated DUI causing death and six counts of aggravated DUI causing bodily harm.

The charges stem from a car crash on February 16th that killed Jada Washington. Washington and her aunt, 21-year-old Tiuette Richardson, were on their way to buy candy at a store when prosecutors allege Lumpkin came speeding southbound on Ashland Avenue. After hitting both Washington and Richardson, who were on the median, Lumpkin allegedly failed a field sobriety test and subsequent chemical testing. Two 40-ounce beer bottles were found in Lumpkin’s vehicle, one was open.

Court records show that since 1987, Lumpkin has received approximately forty tickets for offenses such as disregarding a stop sign and operating a motor vehicle without insurance. Lumpkin’s criminal defense attorney defends his client’s actions on that evening and says that the evidence will show that his client was sober.