Thursday, Jan. 08, 2009
News-Democrat
The St. Clair County Sheriff's Department was out in force during the holiday weekend and arrested several people accused of drunken driving.
Deputies arrested eight people between Jan. 1 and Jan. 3 for alleged drunken driving. Of those, three were charged with felony DUI and five were cited for misdemeanor DUI.
The increased patrols during the holiday weekend were funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
William Hamilton. - Provided to BND
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William R. Hamilton, 50, of 625 W. Lincoln in Belleville, was arrested Jan. 2 near West Lincoln and Centreville Avenue in Belleville for suspicion of DUI. On Saturday Hamilton was charged with felony DUI and felony driving on a revoked driver's license. His bail was set at $10,000. Hamilton posted bond and was released Saturday.
Dean A. Muckensturm, 30, of 303 S. 16th St. in Belleville was arrested Jan. 2 near Carlyle Avenue and West Boulevard in Belleville under suspicioun of DUI. On Saturday Muckensturm was charged with felony DUI. He has four previous DUI convictions. Muckensturm posted bond on $20,000 bail and was released from jail Saturday night.
Joseph S. Domingos, 41, of 510 Monica in Belleville was arrested Jan. 3 on Monica Drive in unicorporated Belleville. He is charged with felony DUI and felony driving on a revoked drivers license. Domingos' bail was set at $50,000. He remains in custody at the St. Clair County Jail.
On Jan. 1 new laws went into effect for those convicted of driving under the influence alcohol. Those convicted are required to install a breath alcohol ignition interlock device in his or her vehicle in order to drive during the time of the license suspension. The individual will have to breathe into the device before the engine will start and will be required to submit additional breath samples at random intervals while the car is in motion. If the breath sample shows a blood-alcohol content of .025 percent or more, the engine will not start.
The new year also toughens up existing DUI laws. First-time offenders who test higher than .08 on a breath-alcohol test also will receive a six-month suspension. The suspension was three months last year. First-time offenders who refuse to submit to a breath-alcohol test will receive a one-year suspension instead of a six-month suspension. The suspensions go into effect 46 days after the arrest/test date.