Chicago Official Resigns After Alleged DUI In City Car

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on the resignation of James V. Lobianco, deputy commissioner of the Dept. of Family and Support Services, following a DUI arrest in his city-issued vehicle. The Chicago official managed the provision of shelter and emergency services for homeless Chicagoans, pulling in a yearly salary of $119,184.

The former Chicago official reportedly refused to submit to a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer test after police questioned him following a rear-end collision. It's not clear what James Lobianco's Chicago DUI attorney has in mind for a defense when he appears in court in June.

According to a police report cited by reporters, the Chicago official ran into the rear of a car stopped at a red light, knocking that car into another vehicle. No one was injured in the incident.

Responding Chicago Police officers said they "detected alcohol" and took him into custody after he refused to be tested for intoxication. He was released the next morning.

Anne Sheahan, Dept. of Family and Support Services spokeswoman, declined to discuss the damage to the Toyota Prius, but said James Lobianco drove the car for personal use under a co-pay agreement:

"Employees [on-call] 24/7 have the opportunity to participate, with $200 deducted from their paycheck that goes for maintenance and insurance. The co-pay entitles them to utilize a car for both personal and work purposes."

James Lobianco's DUI charge was overshadowed by a similar incident in which the son of Illinois Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) was charged with a DUI in a vehicle owned by the state.

Even if you plan to plead guilty to DUI charges, it often is to your advantage to speak with an Illinois DUI lawyer in order to ensure the most-favorable possible outcome.

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