Carpentersville approves impounding law

If you plan on a big night of partying in Carpentersville in the future, you had better memorize the local cab company's phone number.

And if you don't have insurance or a valid driver's license, you might also want to take heed.

The village board Tuesday night approved an ordinance imposing a $250 administrative fee for the return of a vehicle seized in certain circumstances.

While state law authorizes police officers to impound a vehicle if a motorist is caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or without a valid driver's license, the Carpentersville law requires the owner of the vehicle to pay $250 to retrieve the vehicle. Exceptions to the ordinance are if the vehicle is reported stolen, or if it is a rental.

The ordinance has caused a division among board members and residents since Trustee Judy Sigwalt proposed the measure in July.

While supporters say the law would make streets safer and generate revenue for the village, opponents say the ordinance is part of a concerted effort to target a certain segment of the population.

Police issued almost 2,000 citations for motorists driving under the influence or without a valid license in the first six months of this year.

Village President Bill Sarto last week said the ordinance would not address the ordinance in light of the $30 million lawsuit recently filed against the village by a former resident claiming paramedics failed to take her son to the hospital because he was Hispanic. The suit says the 4-month-old suffered brain damage as a result.

Sarto said the impound ordinance is discriminatory.

"My concern is that these people don't have the opportunity to get a license," Sarto said. "They don't have any other option than to drive without a license. It is one thing if you are willfully breaking the law, and it is another if people are just trying to get to and from work."

However, trustees who support the measure said the purpose is to catch those breaking the law.

"What we are doing here is we are going after the lawbreakers, period," Sigwalt said. "I don't care what race, color or creed you are, you are breaking the law. We need to uphold the law."