Arlington Heights woman gets 24 years in dragging death

The woman accused of killing a Round Lake Beach man by dragging him under her car has been sentenced to 24 years in prison.

Lori Michelsen, 43, of Arlington Heights, has pleaded guilty but mentally ill to second-degree murder and aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol during a hearing before Circuit Judge George Bridges.

Police said Michelsen and Brian Boatright, 28, had been dating for about nine months and got into an argument Jan. 8.

The two were in Michelsen's car in a parking lot on the 300 block of Rollins Road about 6 p.m. when Boatright got out of the car and stood in front of it.

Michelsen drove forward, knocked Boatright to the ground and pinned him under the car.

Michelsen then drove around in the parking lot as witnesses screamed at her to stop.

She drove out of the lot, headed north on Cedar Lake Road, west on Meadow Green Lane and to the Meadow Green Apartments where Boatright lived.

Michelsen was standing over Boatright's body when police arrived. She was later found to have a blood alcohol content of .072 percent.

She was initially charged with first-degree murder, but Lake County assistant state's attorneys Patricia Fix and Suzanne Willett agreed Friday to reduce the charge in exchange for her guilty plea.

They also agreed to allow Michelsen to plead guilty but mentally ill after defense attorney Rhonda Bruno presented them with Michelsen's history of psychological problems.

Had she been convicted of first-degree murder, Michelsen would have faced a prison sentence of 20 to 60 years.