Elk Grove mayor's son fined for leaving crash site

Craig Johnson Jr., son of the mayor of Elk Grove Village, paid a $195 fine Monday and was put on court supervision and ordered to perform community service for two traffic citations he received following a June accident at an apartment complex parking lot.

Johnson, 23, was cited under local ordinances for leaving the scene of an accident involving vehicle damage and failing to give information after striking a parked vehicle after his pickup truck apparently went over a curb and struck three unoccupied vehicles in the early-morning hours of June 18. Johnson left the scene and was apprehended at home by police who found a piece of his bumper left at the scene.

The presiding judge transferred the case to another third district courtroom after the Elk Grove Village prosecutor recused himself. Arlington Heights village attorney Ernie Blomquist prosecuted the case before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Ellen Beth Mandeltort.

Craig Johnson Jr. told police he was exiting the parking lot in the 900 block of Ridge Square in Elk Grove Village after dropping off his girlfriend and that his truck had been experiencing mechanical problems. He was shaken up by the accident and discovered he did not have his cell phone with him, so he had intended to contact police when he arrived at home, he said.

Although an officer said he smelled alcohol, police did not administer a Breathalyzer because the officer saw no signs of impairment and alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash, according to a police report filed in the case. No one was injured.

Mayor Craig Johnson Sr. and Elk Grove Village police insisted the younger Johnson did not receive preferential treatment in the case.

"My son took responsibility for his actions even though the prosecutor advised him that because there were no witnesses, the tickets would be dismissed," said Craig Johnson Sr. following the hearing in Rolling Meadows. "I give him credit for that.

"Hopefully, he learned his lesson and will move on from that."