Man In Crash Had Over 3 Times DUI Limit
Updated: 10/21/10 3:12 p.m.
CHICAGO (STMW) - A north suburban man who tested more than three times the legal limit for alcohol when he tried to run away from a traffic accident on the Near North Side was later asked by a doctor if was taking medication. His reply? Alcohol.
John McDermott, 43, of the 900 block of Elm Tree Road in Lake Forest was ordered held on $50,000 bond Thursday after being charged with felony aggravated DUI, Cook County State's Attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin said.
The accident occurred around 10 p.m. Tuesday in front of the Rock and Roll McDonald's at LaSalle and Ontario, police said.
McDermott was behind the wheel of an Audi S8 when he allegedly blew a red light and collided with another vehicle at the intersection, Conklin said, citing court records.
The other motorist told police he got out of his car after the crash and informed McDermott he'd run the red light. McDermott allegedly replied, "Yes I did,'' before fleeing on foot through the McDonald's parking lot, according to a police report.
The other motorist pointed McDermott out to officers, court records indicate, and he was caught on Ohio Street. Police said he appeared to be highly intoxicated and was staggering.
He initially denied being involved in a crash, but when officers brought him back to the accident scene, the other driver identified him, according to a police report. Residue from an airbag that deployed in the Audi was also found on his blazer. He was arrested at 10:58 p.m.
Information was not immediately available about McDermott's passenger, who also fled the scene, police said.
When McDermott was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, his blood-alcohol content was found to be .323, according to the police report. Prosecutors said in court his BAC was .25.
McDermott allegedly replied "alcohol" when a doctor examining him asked if he takes any daily medication, court records indicate. And when the doctor asked if he was intoxicated, he said, "No s---!''
His next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 27 in felony traffic court, Conklin said.
McDermott was previously arrested in December 2009 for refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test and his license was suspended for 24 months, according to the Illinois Secretary of State's office.
A residence at the Elm Tree Road address is listed for sale for nearly $4.5 million, according to the real estate website Zillow.com.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
