On behalf of Jeremy M. Wang Law & Associates, LLC | May 21, 2019 | Dui Defense, Firm News
A state representative who was pulled over for suspected drunk driving earlier in May is facing charges that could jeopardize his position. Illinois Representative Steve Reick was arrested in Springfield on May 1. He was slated to make his first court appearance on May 30, where his attorney will begin the process of presenting a DUI defense.
According to the police report, the representative was seen driving between 15 and 20 mph over the speed limit. He also allegedly committed a turn signal violation, and was subsequently pulled over by Illinois State Police troopers. Officers say his pickup truck struck the curb when he pulled over. The man allegedly told officers he was not aware of the legal blood alcohol limit in Illinois, and admitted to having "too much to drink." He then submitted to both a roadside sobriety and breath test.
The representative was arrested and charged with DUI before being taken to Sangamon County Jail. He released a statement after being released the following morning, calling his alleged actions a "stupid and regrettable decision." He is the second of two state representatives to be charged with DUI in the last month in Springfield.
Even an alleged admission of guilt at the scene may not constitute a confession in an Illinois criminal court. The DUI defense built by the representative's attorney will doubtless make reference to this if prosecutors choose to bring it up as part of their case. It will be vital for his defense to take into consideration all possible evidence the prosecution could bring to court in order to build a compelling defense against the charges.