Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The National Transportation Safety Board recommends reducing the limit. Some say it would save lives. Others say it's unreasonable.
One drink could be the standard for drunken driving – at least for some people if the National Transporation Safety Board has its way. On Tuesday, the NTSB recommended states lower the blood-alcohol threshold for driving under the influence from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent. About 10,000 deaths a year are related to drunken driving. The NTSB says the lower limit would save 500 to 800 lives a year. Officials at the American Beverage Institute called the proposal "ludicrous." It said the average woman could reach the 0.05 percent limit by having one drink. According to CyberDriveIllinois.com's 2013 DUI Fact Book, there were 10,175 DUI arrests in Cook County in 2011; 10,903 DUI arrests in 2010; and 11,375 DUI arrests in 2009. DUI facts from…
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Following the death of Skokie resident Alan Rubin, an Evanston woman has been charged with driving under the influence of drugs, police said today.
Skokie resident Alan Rubin was struck by a vehicle that was traveling southbound on Skokie Boulevard and attempting to head east on Main Street on April 2. The 56-year-old was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston where he was pronounced dead the following day. Now, the Skokie Police Department has charged Evanston resident Larissa Lomax, 32, with driving under the influence of drugs and failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The Major Crash Assist Team (MCAT) was activated and is currently assisting the Skokie Police Department with their ongoing investigation. No further details are available at this time. Check Skokie Patch soon for an update. -- Patch on Facebook
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Jennifer Spinney pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol at the Cook County Circuit Court in Skokie on Friday. She was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in Skokie in September.
Winnetka Trustee Jennifer Spinney pleaded guilty to DUI Friday, having been pulled over in September and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, improper lane usage and improper turning. Spinney pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol, which means she must pay a $1,329 fine, be under supervision for one year, attend a victim impact panel and have a suspended license for a period of time. The Cook County Circuit Court clerk's office in Skokie said it's unclear how long her license will be suspended. The remaining charges of improper lane usage and improper turning were dismissed. Spinney was charged with driving under the influence and traffic violations after officers said they saw her driving irratically in…
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
A Chicago woman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and engendering the lives of her 10 and 6-year-old children on Dec. 31.
A woman driving with her 10 and 6-year-old children was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, two counts of endangering the life of a child, speeding, improper lane usage and failure to secure a child under 8 on Dec. 31 around 2 a.m. Esmeralda Lopez, 29, of Chicago, was stopped in the 3500 block of Dempster Street for speeding and swerving, according to the police report. Lopez told police that she was coming from Wrigleyville and had four beers. She had a blood alcohol content level of .166, the report stated. After being arrested, police contacted the Department of Child Services. Lopez’s court date is Feb. 7. -- Skokie Patch on Facebook
Monday, November 26, 2012
Winnetka Trustee Jennifer Spinney was in court today following her September DUI arrest in Skokie on Monday.
Winnetka Trustee Jennifer Spinney made a brief appearance in court Monday in her DUI case, before the hearing was pushed back until Feb. 1. Neither Spinney nor her attorney would comment after she appeared in front of Judge Larry G. Axelrood at the Cook County Circuit Courthouse in Skokie Monday morning. This is the second time her court date has been pushed back. She has not yet entered a plea in the case. Spinney was pulled over Sept. 6 in Skokie after police say they say her making a series of traffic violations before being pulled over near the 9200 block of McCormick Boulevard. According to the police report, Spinney had bloodshot eyes, combined with slurred speech and a strong alcohol odor on her breath. Also, according to the report…
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
On what may be the biggest drinking "holiday" of the year, Cook County announces a new plan for roadside DUI death memorials.
- PUBLIC SAFETY
-
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The night before Thanksgiving is known as the biggest party night of the year. Almost a holiday unto itself with a name of its own, Black Wednesday is a night to rival New Year's Eve and St. Patrick's Day for overindulgence in alcohol. In many communities, extra officers will be on patrol and local officials warn bar owners not to overserve their patrons. So it's not a coincidence that Cook County this week announced a new DUI Memorial Program. For $150, families of anyone killed in a DUI fatality can purchase a roadside memorial marker to be placed alongside any highway under the county's jurisdiction. The marker includes a “Please Don’t Drink and Drive” sign and an optional commemorative plaque with the deceased loved one’s name and …
Friday, September 7, 2012
Jennifer Spinney, a Winnetka trustee, was charged with a DUI in Skokie on Sept. 6. According to the report, Spinney told police she is 'not a criminal' but a 'drunk driver.'
A Winnetka village trustee was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and several other traffic violations in Skokie on Sept. 6 around 1:41 a.m. Jennifer Spinney, 60, of the 200 block of Sheridan Road in Winnetka, was stopped near the 9200 block of McCormick Boulevard after police said they witnessed her make a variety of traffic violations. According to the report, Spinney was driving over the white lane dividers for more than an entire block and was doing 25 in a 40 mph speed zone. Officers would later ask Spinney to exit the vehicle for a field sobriety test to which she replied, “I just want to go home,” according to the report. Earlier in the evening, Spinny attended the grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration of …
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
The Skokie Police Department has issued the following press release on upcoming seat belt, DUI checkpoints in Skokie this Aug. 24 - Sept. 3.
- POLICE & FIRE
-
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
From the community ~ The Skokie Police Department today announced its late-night plans for the 2012 Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over/Click It or Ticket” crackdown. The intensified enforcement effort against impaired drivers and seat belt law violators underscores the disproportionate number of traffic deaths involving alcohol and unbelted motorists. The stepped-up enforcement will begin Aug. 24 and run through Labor Day, Sept. 3. Enforcement efforts will concentrate on the deadly nighttime hours. According to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the midnight to 3 a.m. timeframe is the deadliest time on Illinois roadways. The data also shows this time of day…
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
There were two serious DUI related crashes in Skokie recently. One suspect was involved in a hit-and-run while the other crashed into a local business.
Skokie saw two serious DUI related crashes within a 24-hour span on June 9. Brian Ribert Lewkowsky, 37, of Skokie, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, among other things, on June 10. Officers originally responded to a head on crash in the 3800 block of Oakton Street after Lewkowsky allegedly drove his vehicle through a building. When officers asked for his license, Lewkowsky handed them a credit card, the report said. He allegedly had a blood alcohol content level of .128. Just one day prior, German C. Dejesus, 45, of Chicago, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, among other charges, on June 9. Skokie police found DeJesus in the 8100 block of Crawford Avenue after Lincolnwood police sent out a …
Friday, October 15, 2010
Students join facebook page to prevent the take-down of wrestling coach and teacher, Matthew Hampton.
Matthew Hampton, the Niles West wrestling coach that was arrested for driving under the influence and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia is back in the spotlight. Some students have set up a "Free Hampton" facebook page and more than 440 people have "liked it." Skokie Patch alone received more than 1,400 facebook 'likes' when the story was first published on Sept. 29. The description of the facebook page reads, "this is to support our beloved gym teacher who was misunderstood by the law." The page uses Hampton's mug shot as the profile picture and about 33 comments from previous and current students are posted on the page. The conversation that dominates the page is about making a t-shirt that will say "Free Mr. Hampton." Many…
Sandrina Roc
8:48 am on Thursday, May 16, 2013
What ridiculous comments. "ludicrous." It said the average woman could reach the 0.05 percent limit by having one drink." "You're going to put restaurants out of business." If testing has been done (which was not mentioned and should be done if it hasn't) and it shows that driving is impaired enough when one's blood alcohol content is .05, then lower it. Should we really worry about restaurants … more ›