Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The National Transportation Safety Board recommends reducing the limit. Some say it would save lives. Others say it's unreasonable.
By David Mills 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. What do you think? Is the proposal reasonable? 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. In 2011, 323 people were killed by alcohol-related crashed in Illinois, which makes up 35 percent of the 918 total crash …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Evergreen Park police reports, March 9-12.
TUESDAY, MARCH 12 Virgil Hill, 56, of Dolton, was charged with retail theft, according to a police report. He is accused of taking a $700 computer from Wal-Mart, 2500 W. 95th St. He was arrested at about 7:21 p.m. SATURDAY, MARCH 9 David Prater, Jr., 32, of Chicago, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08, failing to signal when required, improper lane use, driving without insurance and driving without a license, according to a police report. Police were called about an erratic driver northbound on Kedzie Avenue. At about 3:58 a.m. on 87th Street, police stopped Prater after seeing him straddling the lane lines. During the stop, they noticed the driver had glassy and …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Evergreen Park police reports, March 13.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 Alphonso C Williams, 40, of Matteson, was charged with aggravated driving with a suspended license and obstructing justice, according to a report. His license had been previously revoked for driving under the influence. He was stopped at about 12:58 p.m. near 95th Street and Western Avenue. He reportedly tried to give the officer a driver’s license that belonged to someone else. Police confirmed his identity through fingerprinting. A passenger, Ian C. Drake, 36, of Chicago Heights, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Arkadiusz Kosciuk, 25, Oak Lawn, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, driving without a tail light and driving without valid insurance, according to a report. He was stopped at …
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Evergreen Park police reports, Feb. 17.
SUNDAY, FEB. 17 Stephen A. Kitz, 28, of Oregon, OH was charged with driving under the influence. Police found him at 3:07 a.m. in the 9400 block of Kedzie Avenue slumped over his steering wheel and stopped in the southbound lane, police said. After waking Kitz up officers had to help him out of his car at which point he said that he had "way too much to drink," police said. An ambulance was called, but he refused treatment. Police say that a breath test revealed a blood alcohol level of .154, almost twice the legal limit. Michael C. Taylor, 23, of Chicago was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Taylor was stopped at 1:42 a.m. in the 9500 block of Kedzie Avenue after making an illegal turn on red, police said. He failed …
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Cocky driver says he'll 'blow breathlyzer off the table,' and a woman drives across several lawns, taking out mailboxes, utility box and a fire hydrant in her path. This week's roundup of drunken driving arrests in the Southland.
MOKENA Feb. 8: Taiwo Erinle, 32, of New Lenox, was found passed out at the wheel of his car with the engine running. The car was found at 3:45 a.m. Feb. 8 in the middle of two lanes of traffic on 191st St. at Wolf Road. According to the report, police said Taiwo Erinle's foot was on the brake, but the car was in the drive position. He was passed out at the wheel with the windows rolled up and rap music blaring. The officer drove the squad about six inches in front of Erinle's car. He placed a push bar between the two bumpers to prevent Erinle's car from moving into traffic unexpectedly. Police say it took shining a flashlight into the vehicle, pounding on the window and yelling to stir Erinle from his stupor. When finally he did wake, …
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Woman cruises along sidewalk, nearly strikes streetlight; man runs a red light. This week's roundup of drunken driving arrests in the Southland.
FRANKFORT Feb. 3: Maria Hull-Gecas, 35, of the 8800 block of Clare Avenue in Mokena, is charged with speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol at the intersection of S. 84th Avenue and W. Lincoln Highway in Frankfort. Feb. 2: A Homer Glen woman faces DUI charges after her car veered off the road while she was talking on the phone. Ingrid Katauskas, 43, of the 14000 block of S. Kickapoo Trail in Homer Glen, is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, using a wireless phone in a construction zone and driving the wrong way on a divided highway. Frankfort police were dispatched at 3 a.m. Feb. 2 to the 11100 block of Lincoln Highway in response to reports of a van stuck in a construction site. Upon arrival, the officer …
Sunday, February 10, 2013
If an officer asks for your license, he's probably not looking for a stare down—but that's exactly what one alleged drunken driver offered cops, this week in Southland drunken driving arrest reports.
CHICAGO HEIGHTS Feb. 4: Damen L. Ingram, of the 23400 block of Western Avenue in Park Forest was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after police stopped him near the intersection of Euclid and Main Street for turning without signaling, according to the report. When asked for his license and proof of insurance, Ingram silently stared at the officer, police said. Asked a second time, Ingram handed police his identification card, then went back to staring with a blank expression. The officer clarified that he needed Ingram's driver's license, not a state ID, and Ingram handed him his license. Police could smell alcohol on his breath, according to the report. The officer then noticed a plastic bag, containing a…
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Don't ruin the big game by getting a DUI. Call a cab if you've had too much to drink.
Many local bars will be hosting parties where you can eat, drink and watch the Super Bowl. So why ruin a great day by getting a DUI on the way home. Here are some numbers for local cab companies eager to get you home safe and sound. Your driver will appreciate your business and the tip. Plug these numbers into your phone before you go out. If the line is busy, try again, or go down the list, but don't risk driving home drunk.
Bad parking and a car covered in eggs are two sure signs that something may be amiss behind the wheel, this week in Southland drunken driving arrest reports.
PALOS HEIGHTS Jan. 24: William B. Maas, 51, of the 12500 block of South 86th Avenue in Palos Park, was charged with DUI, driving without headlights and driving without insurance, according to a report. Maas was stopped after officers spotted his headlights off. Jan. 19: Christopher J. Conley, 27, of the 500 block of West 37th Street in Chicago, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal transportation of alcohol and speeding, according to a report, after police stopped Conley's car at about 10:56 p.m. near 12900 S. Harlem Ave. Officers reported open alcoholic beverages in the car. Jan. 19: Dana L. Massat, 27, of the 8500 block of West 101st Terrace in Palos Hills, was charged with DUI, driving without insurance, …
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Man falls asleep during police questioning • DUI causes three-car accident • Man answers every police question with "south" • "I'm a man, I can complete (field sobriety) tests."
FRANKFORT Jan. 12: Richard H. Reinke, 58, of the 300 block of N. Maple Street in Frankfort, was issued citations for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol content above .08 at 7:59 p.m. Jan. 12 at the intersection of La Grange Road and Lincoln Highway. Police said he caused a three-car crash. Read more. MOKENA Jan. 13: Udai C. Nair, 39, of the 19600 block of Cambridge Drive in Mokena, was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol at 2:11 a.m. An officer responded to a report of a Ford Mustang driving recklessly in the parking lot of White Castle. When police arrived, they found the Mustang double parked on the west side of the lot. Nair eventually admitted to …
Alan Hudson
7:41 am on Friday, May 17, 2013
It's just another way to grab some more money from the working man. Next they'll give tickets for smoking in your own car!! Then what?Tickets for having your radio on? Tickets for having your window opened too much? It's just plain stupid!!!! more ›