Open Bottle Of Jim Beam Found In Cadillac Escalade During Man's 4th DUI Arrest: Complaint

JOLIET, IL — Marking his fourth DUI arrest, Joliet 35-year-old Eric Sanchez has been ordered to remain in the Will County Jail under the Illinois SAFE-T-Act, following his recent arrest by the Joliet Police Department. According to his criminal complaint, prosecutors have charged Sanchez with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence and aggravated driving while license revoked.

According to his pretrial detention petition, between 11 p.m. and midnight on Friday night, Jan. 2, Joliet Police Sgt. James Robertson spotted the white Cadillac Escalade traveling at a high rate of speed and blow the stop sign at Drauden Road and Arbor Gate Drive.

"In its course of driving, the Cadillac appeared to the sergeant to be going a good 35 mph over the limit," prosecutors outlined. "The Cadillac made multiple abrupt turns, eventually disobeying a second stop sign at Summit Trail and Gray Hawk Drive. It eventually stopped on its own volition near 2126 Alpine Way, and the driver exited."

Sgt. Robertson detained the motorist and fellow Joliet Officer Jose Hernandez arrived to assist.

"He refused to perform field sobriety tests and asked the sergeant whether they could work something out. An open 375 ml bottle of Jim Beam was recovered from the center console," prosecutors pointed out. "Hernandez could smell the odor of alcohol emitting from the defendant while defendant was in the back of Hernandez' squad car. Hernandez concluded that this defendant was under the influence of alcohol."

Will County prosecutors noted that Sanchez has the three prior DUI findings of guilt and he was DUI revoked at the time of his Joliet police arrest in early January.

"We note for The Court that this defendant has ultimately been sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections for each of his three prior Felony DUI cases, 2023 CF 350 out of Boone County, 2020 CF 1639 out of Will County, and 14 CF 1618 out of Will County. His only successful completion of probation was over 15 years ago, for theft, Class 3, in Will County case 2008 CF 95," prosecutors indicated.

Will County Judge Chrystel Gavlin, who has taken over in Courtroom 202 for Derek Ewanic, ordered Sanchez to remain in the county jail under the SAFE-T-Act. Sanchez arrived at the courthouse this week with private counsel, downtown Joliet attorney Ted Hammel, who generates a lot of his income by representing drunken driving defendants.

Sanchez comes from the 3400 block of Joliet's Waterford Drive. How long he will now remain in the Will County Jail under the SAFE-T-Act remains to be seen. It may last several months.