10th DUI For This Joliet Resident: Complaint

JOLIET, IL - A 55-year-old Joliet man who lives in the 2300 block of White Birch Lane remains in Will County's Jail after the Illinois State Police hauled him away in handcuffs on April 13 for his tenth driving under the influence of alcohol arrest, according to court records.

Bail for Ronald Meimers has been set at $1 million, which is an extraordinary figure for someone facing a drunken driving offense. But Meimers has a long history of drunken driving, according to this week's criminal complaint filed by the staff of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow.

On Saturday, April 13, Illinois State Police stopped Meimers as he was driving a silver Hyundai along a southbound stretch of Interstate 55 near Plainfield's mile post 261 "while the alcohol concentration in his blood or breath was 0.08 or more," court records show. The complaint states that the April 13 incident marks "a tenth violation."

Meimers has been formally charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence. Both are Class X felony crimes.

The criminal complaint informs the Will County judicial system of Meimers' long history of drinking and driving. His prior cases were as follows:

1. May 14, 1985 in DuPage County
2. Nov. 24, 1986 in Will County
3. July 21, 1987 in DuPage County
4. June 12, 1991 in Cook County
5. Oct. 5, 1993 in DuPage County
6. Feb. 28, 1996 in Kane County
7. Aug. 8, 1996 in Will County
8. Jan. 4, 2006 in Will County
9. Sept. 8, 2004 in Will County