Downstate in Belleville, State's Attorney Robert Haida has launched a review of DUI cases in an effort to make it harder for those arrested on drunk driving charges to avoid license suspension, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.
Mr. Haida launched the review upon revelations that a less-experienced assistant prosecutor regularly violated policy surrounding plea bargains. According to the policy, those charged with a DUI who consent to a breathalyzer test are not eligible to avoid license suspension in return for a guilty plea.
The reporter states that failure of a breathalyzer test is more than enough evidence for a conviction. Illinois motorists who refuse to take a breathalyzer test face an automatic six-month suspension of their driver's license (PDF, pg. 9).
The assistant state's attorney implicated with the violations of the policy resigned in mid-February, according to the article. Mr. Haida seemed more than a little embarrassed about the improper plea deals in a written statement to the newspaper:
"Had I known what I know now, he would have been fired."
So anyone who gave their Illinois DUI lawyer a big hug after receiving an extraordinarily favorable plea deal in St. Clair County might want to thank the former assistant state's attorney instead. But don't expect it to last, as Mr. Haida intends to put a stop to the poorly handled cases by assigning more experienced assistants to DUI cases.
Mr. Haida actually stated he was "grateful" for a Feb. 14 News-Democrat story exposing the mishandling of at least two such plea deals. That story reported on a pair of deals in which the suspects failed breathalyzer tests, but somehow avoided driver's license suspensions.
But while it may be nearly impossible to avoid a driver's license suspension following a DUI arrest, ask a Chicago DUI lawyer about the Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) Program if you still feel the need to drive.
Related Resources:
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Man Sentenced To 2 To 10 For DUI Death (The Philadelphia DUI Blog)
- DUI - Plea Bargains (FindLaw)
- Once Again, Changes May Be Coming For Illinois DUI Laws (FindLaw KnowledgeBase)
- Browse Chicago DUI Attorneys (Findlaw)
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