04-04-2009, 05:43 PM
What's going on in Illinois that someone can get away with this? I had a relative killed in another state by a drunk driver who had no license (an IA) so letting this crime go really does 'kill.'
Waukegan man gets prison for 11th driving without license arrest
By Tony Gordon | Daily Herald Staff
A Waukegan man was sentenced to two years in prison Friday after his 11th conviction for driving with a revoked license.
The 12th such charge brought against Benito Zavala, 38, was dropped in exchange for his guilty plea. How much of this goes on locally?
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Reginald Matthews said Zavala, of the 2200 block of Pearsall Park Parkway, was stopped in traffic by Lake Villa police on Sept. 28.
The officer discovered Zavala's driver's license was revoked Jan. 7, 1999, following his conviction for driving without a license. In the years that followed, Matthews said, Zavala was convicted 10 times for driving without a license but had never been sentenced to prison.
While free on bond from his Sept. 28 arrest, Zavala was stopped by Libertyville police March 12 and again was arrested on charges of driving on a revoked license.
Matthews said police received a tip from Lake County Crime Stoppers that Zavala would be in the area and had no driver's valid license.
At the time of his arrests, Zavala was on probation for a 2005 conviction for possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver.
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Here is one of the reader's posts;
posted by majordawg on Sat Apr 04, 2009 12:40 AM
You have no idea what goes on in the Lake County court system. Multiple DUI offenders routinely have cases reduced to misdemeanors, because it is easier to get a defendant to plead out instead of applying the law as it was written. Talk to the lawyers and others that work for the court system, there are all kinds of horror stories out there. I agree with "Chuck Farley" they should put the names of the Judges signing off on inappropriate deals in print for all to see. Maybe there would be more accountability in the judicial system.
Waukegan man gets prison for 11th driving without license arrest
By Tony Gordon | Daily Herald Staff
A Waukegan man was sentenced to two years in prison Friday after his 11th conviction for driving with a revoked license.
The 12th such charge brought against Benito Zavala, 38, was dropped in exchange for his guilty plea. How much of this goes on locally?
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Reginald Matthews said Zavala, of the 2200 block of Pearsall Park Parkway, was stopped in traffic by Lake Villa police on Sept. 28.
The officer discovered Zavala's driver's license was revoked Jan. 7, 1999, following his conviction for driving without a license. In the years that followed, Matthews said, Zavala was convicted 10 times for driving without a license but had never been sentenced to prison.
While free on bond from his Sept. 28 arrest, Zavala was stopped by Libertyville police March 12 and again was arrested on charges of driving on a revoked license.
Matthews said police received a tip from Lake County Crime Stoppers that Zavala would be in the area and had no driver's valid license.
At the time of his arrests, Zavala was on probation for a 2005 conviction for possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=283983">http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=283983</a><!-- m -->
Here is one of the reader's posts;
posted by majordawg on Sat Apr 04, 2009 12:40 AM
You have no idea what goes on in the Lake County court system. Multiple DUI offenders routinely have cases reduced to misdemeanors, because it is easier to get a defendant to plead out instead of applying the law as it was written. Talk to the lawyers and others that work for the court system, there are all kinds of horror stories out there. I agree with "Chuck Farley" they should put the names of the Judges signing off on inappropriate deals in print for all to see. Maybe there would be more accountability in the judicial system.