NINTH DUI NETS BENSENVILLE MAN 20 YEARS BEHIND BARS
WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph E. Birkett announced today that Taurino Maldonado, 42 (d.o.b. 8/11/1966) of 6001 Agye Street, Bensenville, was sentenced to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after a jury found him guilty of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (DUI), a Class X Felony. Judge Kathryn Creswell presided over the two-day jury trial, which took place April 1st and 2nd, 2008.
On May 6, 2007, a Bensenville Police Officer observed Maldonado’s vehicle strike the curb of the road and then veer into oncoming traffic, narrowly missing another vehicle. The Police Officer pulled Maldonado over and noticed a strong odor of alcohol as he spoke with Maldonado. After refusing field sobriety and breath tests, Maldonado was taken into custody, charged with misdemeanor DUI. Maldonado posted bond and was released. A review of Maldonado’s driving record however, revealed that he had been previously arrested and convicted eight times on DUI charges, six of these convictions in California. States’ Attorney Birkett authorized upgrading the original charges to Felony Aggravated DUI. Maldonado was arrested on the upgraded charges and taken into custody.
“Time and time again, Mr. Maldonado thumbed his nose at the law,” commented Birkett. “He continued to get behind the wheel not only after his first or second DUI, but after his seventh and eighth. Every year thousands of lives are needlessly lost to DUI related crashes. Thankfully, no one was injured as a result of Mr. Maldonado’s irresponsible, reckless behavior. People have got to learn that driving after you have been drinking is extremely dangerous and if you are convicted of DUI, as we saw in this case, it can cost you your freedom for a substantial part of your life. I want to especially praise Assistant State’s Attorneys Brian Perkins, Anne Therieau and Shanti Kulkami as well as the Secretary of State’s Office for their diligence in discovering the Defendant’s true driving history and charging him with the appropriate felonies.”
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