Elgin woman gets 13 years for 5th, 6th DUIs

A homeless Elgin woman was sentenced to prison for her fifth and sixth DUIs, Kane County officials said.

Cheri L. Bookman, 48, agreed Thursday to a sentence of 13 years in exchange for pleading guilty to two counts of aggravated DUI, according to a statement from the Kane County state's attorney's office.

Prosecutors said Bookman struck a vehicle while driving on the 1500 block of Mark Avenue in Elgin in January 2015. The driver of the other car spoke with Bookman and told police she appeared intoxicated. Bookman fled the scene and was later found by police at a home where she was staying, prosecutors said.

Bookman admitted to drinking vodka all day, police said, and was identified by the driver of the other car. She was arrested and charged with DUI and released on bond after serving one day in jail.

Then, in August, police saw Bookman driving the wrong way down Chicago Street. When they stopped her, she took off in the car, then crashed into a guardrail at Chicago and State streets. She fled through a passenger window and into nearby woods, where police found her. She had a blood alcohol content of .247.

Bookman was previously convicted of DUI twice in 2001 and again in 2002 and 2008 in Jefferson and Cook counties.

She receives credit for at least 172 days served in the Kane County jail.