Round Lake Beach man convicted of 8th DUI

A Round Lake Beach man faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced Friday after being convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol for the eighth time.

Tim Morrow, 43, of the 1400 block of Hainesville Road, has been charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol 12 times since 1987, Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon said. Four of the charges were dropped, ended in a not guilty plea, or in a plea deal to a lesser charge, Dillon said.

“This is the defendant’s eighth DUI conviction, and we are seeking a significant prison sentence because of it,” he added.

Morrow was convicted of DUI in Illinois in 1987, 1991, twice in 1994, twice in 1995, and in 2011, Dillon said. Morrow also was found guilty of DUI in Wisconsin in 1994, he added.

Morrow’s driver’s license was suspended or revoked on and off between 1987 and 2009, but he was still cited for DUI in 2005 and 2006 and charged with operating a watercraft under the influence of alcohol in 2004 and 2010, Dillon said.

Morrow agreed to plead guilty to lesser charges of reckless driving in the 2005 and 2006 convictions, and the 2004 OUI/watercraft charge against him was dismissed. He was found not guilty of the 2010 OUI/watercraft charge, records show.

Dillon said he was limited by what he could say about the case until after the sentencing hearing Friday.

The final blow against Morrow was being pulled over and charged with aggravated DUI by Round Lake Beach Police in July 2011, Dillon said. Morrow was seen swerving on Rollins Road, and officers noticed his balance was off, he was slurring his words, and he had the smell of alcohol on his breath, Dillon said.

Morrow refused to submit to a Breathalyzer test but failed a field sobriety test, Dillon said.

He was found guilty of aggravated DUI by a jury in October, Dillon said.

Morrow remains free after posting 10 percent of his $30,000 bond.