This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

DUI Roundup: Witness Says Driver Might Have Been Going 100 MPH Before Crash

DUI Roundup information was supplied by area police departments during the week prior to Dec. 14, 2013. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

Among the driving-under-the-influence incidents in this week's DUI Roundup is a report out of St. Charles, in which one victim told police his vehicle was rear-ended and shoved off the road by a vehicle estimated to be going 100 mph on West Main Street.


ELMHURST


DEC. 8: Ismael Velasquez, 38, 122 Sonny Lane Apt. 2A, Bensenville, was arrested and charged with aggravated DUI, driving with a suspended license, improper lane use, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and resisting a police officer after his vehicle allegedly was seen almost striking another vehicle at Grand and Lake at 3:48 a.m. He was taken to DuPage County Jail.


DEC. 7:

Find out what's happening in La Grangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • David Johnson, 59, 13162 159th St., Homer Glen, was arrested and charged with DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol, driving without a license and driving without insurance after police received a call for a driver passed out at a traffic light in a white Volkswagon Passat at Hillside and Vallette at 4:45 p.m. He was released on bond.

  • Nikolette Sexton, 18, 16326 S. Parliament, Tinley Park, was arrested and charged with DUI, consumption of alcohol by a minor, illegal transportation of alcohol and driving without insurance after police pulled over her white Pontiac G5 for improper lane use at First and York at 2:06 a.m. Two passengers in the vehicle also were charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor. They were all released on bond.

Find out what's happening in La Grangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.


DEC. 5:

  • Craig D. Butler, 42, 1680 Norwood Apt. 507, Itasca, was arrested and charged with aggravated DUI after police stopped his red Buick Skylark on the 100 block of West Third Street at 2:09 a.m. He was taken to DuPage County Jail.

  • Grazyna Gorzkowska, 52, 2N520 Kenmore, Lombard, was arrested and charged with DUI after police responded to a medical request on the 700 block of North Oaklawn at 5:22 p.m. She was found her in her white Toyota Camry.


  • GENEVA


    DEC. 3: Geneva police arrested Ashley Watson, 28, of Geneva on charges of making an unsafe lane change and driving under the influence of drugs around 1:55 a.m. Dec. 3 in the 800 block of North Kirk Road, reports said. She has a court date of Dec. 18 at the Kane County Judicial Center, 37W777 Route 38, St. Charles.


    GLEN ELLYN


    DEC. 1:

    • Nina Adjin, 23, 1577 Burr Oak, Wheaton, was arrested and charged with DUI, possession of cannabis 30 grams or under and possession of drug paraphernalia at Park Boulevard and Sheehan at 4:07 a.m.

    • Chad L. Tripp, 25, 14518 General Drive, Plainfield, was arrested and charged with DUI after police pulled him over for driving without lights and improper lane use at Roosevelt and Finley at 11:55 p.m.


    HINSDALE-CLARENDON HILLS


    DEC. 8: Joseph Frank Christian, 24, of the 700 block of South Bruner Street, Hinsdale, was charged with DUI, Hinsdale police said, after he was observed to be under the influence following a car-versus-tree accident near the intersection of Jackson Street and 4th Street at 2:34 a.m., and failed an ensuing breath test. He was released to appear in court.

    DEC. 6: Jonathan Madison, 23, of the 1300 block of High Point Drive, Romeoville, was charged with DUI after he was observed to be under the influence of alcohol during a 1:32 a.m. speeding stop on northbound Route 83 near Ogden Avenue, Clarendon Hills police said. Madison was also charged with felony criminal damage to state-supported property after knocking over two lightposts in front of the Clarendon Hills Police Department while waiting for a ride home. He was trasnported to DuPage County Jail.

    DEC. 4: Nicholas Michael Petrovic, 20, of the 3200 block of Pitcher Drive, Darien, was charged with DUI, Hinsdale police said, after he was observed to be under the influence of alcohol after running out of gas on northbound Route 83 near the Burlington Bridge at 12:55 a.m., and failed an ensuing breath test. He was released to appear in court.

    NAPERVILLE


    DEC. 7:

    • Cristina Helena Martinez, 34, of Naperville, was arrested at 2:13 a.m. near Gartner Road and south Washington Street, police said. She was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. She posted bond.

    • Omar Ceja-Ramirez, 28, of Orland Park, was arrested at 2:23 a.m. near Springhill Circle and Needham road, police said. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. He posted bond.

    • Ruby Luna, 24, of Naperville, was arrested at 6:47 a.m. near Washington street and East Warrenville Road, police said. She was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. She posted bond.


    ST. CHARLES


    DEC 8: Michael B. Semmens, 21, of the 500 block of Bradbury Lane, Geneva, was charged at 6:36 a.m. at West Main Street and Corporate Reserve Boulevard with driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and leaving the scene of a vehicle-damage accident. He was released on his own recognizance pending a court appearance. According to the police report, a witness told police he was eastbound on West Main Street in St. Charles when he saw a vehicle approaching from behind at a speed he estimated at 100 mph. The man told police that before he had time to react, the vehicle struck his Sonata from behind, shoving the Sonata off the roadway and into the trees. He said the vehicle fled east.

    DEC. 8: Andrew Benjamin Sofiakis, 29, of the 200 block of Hillandale Drive, Bloomingdale, was charged at 5:03 a.m. on the 1300 block of South 8th Street with DUI, expired registration, no insurance, and driving too fast for conditions. He posted his driver’s license and $300 cash bond and was released pending a Dec. 26, 2013 appearance in Kane County Court. More details were not immediately available.

    DEC 7: Michael Patrick Gubbins, 39, of the 100000 block of Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, was charged at 2:18 a.m. on the 1500 block of East Main Street with DUI, DUI with a blood-alcohol concentration greater than .08, and speeding, 52 in a 35 mph zone. Police said his blood-alcohol concentration registered at .150. He was released on his own recognizance pending a Jan. 8, 2014 appearance in Kane County Court.

    DEC 6: Michael Francis Gruesen, 22, of the 00-99 block of Stirrup Cup Court, was charged at 11:44 p.m. on the 1300 block of Fox Chase Boulevard with DUI, DUI with a blood-alcohol concentration greater than .08, and driving too fast for conditions. Police responding to a report of an accident found Gruesen’s 2012 Honda Accord, which had been southbound on Keim Trail when it left the roadway, striking a mailbox, a stop sign and then the curb of Fox Chase Boulevard, coming to a stop in the front yard of 1301 Fox Chase Blvd. Police said his blood-alcohol concentration was .080. He posted his driver’s license and a $50 booking fee and was released on his own recognizance pending a Dec. 16, 2013 appearance in Kane County Court.

    DEC 6: Ronald Lee Gjerde, 60, of the 42W700 block of Falcon Lane, was charged at 7:59 p.m. at Peck Road and Lincoln Highway with DUI, DUI with a blood-alcohol concentration greater than .08, and driving too fast for conditions. Police said his blood-alcohol concentration registered .173. Police were called to Peck Road and Lincoln Highway after an accident in which Gjerde’s vehicle reportedly rear-ended the other driver at a stoplight. No one was injured. Gjerde He posted his driver’s license and a $100 cash bond and was released pending a Jan. 23, 2014 appearance in Kane County Court.

    DEC 6: Margaret L. Reuter, 47, of the 200 block of Indiana Street, was charged at 12:38 p.m. on the 2300 block of East Main Street with DUI, and improper lane use. She posted her driver’s license and was released on her own recognizance pending a Jan. 15, 2014 Kane County Court appearance.


    WESTERN SPRINGS


    DEC. 7: Catherine D. Difronzo, 28, of the 5500 block of South Madison Avenue, Hinsdale, was charged with DUI and speeding, Western Springs police said, after she was observed to be under the influence of alcohol during a 2:02 a.m. speeding stop near the intersection of 55th Street and I-294, and failed an ensuing breath test. She was released on bond to appear in court.


    WHEATON


    DEC. 8: Jamie M. Van Houten, 27, of the 900 block of Sheridan Circle, Naperville, was arrested at 4:53 a.m. at 22nd and Blanchard streets on a charge od driving under the influence of alcohol. He posted bond and was released pending a court appearance.

    DEC. 3: Dative Akimpuhwe, 24, of the 1700 block of E. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton, was arrested at 10:17 p.m. at Main Street and Roosevelt Road on charges of DUI, and improper lane use. He posted bail and was released pending a court appearance.

    DEC. 3: Stephen J. Strenk, 52, of the 500 block of Appaloosa Court, Carol Stream, was arrested at 5:03 p.m. at Churchill Lane and County Farm Road on charge of DUI, and improper lane use.  He posted bail and was released pending a court appearance.

    NOV. 30: Jeffrey R. Alexander, 25, of the 500 block of Blanchard Avenue, Wheaton, was arrested at 2:11 a.m. at Naperville and West Loop roads on charges of DUI, speeding, and improper lane use. He posted bond and was released pending a court appearance


    WOODRIDGE


    NOV. 25: Stephen Fontaine, 45, of the 1000 block of Fordham Way, Westmont, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence following a traffic stop at about 12:18 a.m. in the 2600 block of Hobson Road.

    Patch reports on law enforcement activity in Chicago's west suburbs, using information provided by official agencies. Persons charged with a crime, or issued a citation for violation of a local ordinance, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you or a family member are charged with a crime or cited for a violation, and the charge or citation is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify Geneva editor Rick Nagel at rickn@patch.com and we will do follow-up reporting on the case.


    We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

    The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

    To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.