Cary man, twice convicted of attempted murder, pleads guilty to 6th DUI

A Cary man whose criminal history includes two attempted murder convictions now faces decades in prison after his sixth driving under the influence conviction.

George Gnewuch, 64, pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated driving under the Influence of alcohol, a Class X felony punishable by a minimum of six and a maximum of 30 years in prison. He’s scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 16.

The charge stems from a Dec. 1, 2025, crash in Crystal Lake, in which authorities say Gnewuch’s pickup truck crossed into oncoming traffic along Route 14 and struck another vehicle.

Despite losing a wheel in the collision, Gnewuch drove away from the scene, authorities said. McHenry County sheriff’s deputies identified the registration of the pickup truck and went to Gnewuch’s home, where they found him smelling of alcohol and the damaged truck, prosecutors said.

Testing later revealed he had a blood alcohol concentration of .168, more than twice the legal limit, according to prosecutors.

Gnewuch has five prior DUI convictions, from 1984, 1985, 1991, 2003 and 2004, prosecutors said, and a revoked driver’s license as a result.

He also has two prior convictions for attempted murder, occurring in 1985 and 1992 in Cook County, authorities say. Prosecutors did not provide details of those cases, though published reports indicate Gnewuch was charged in 1992 with slashing the face of a 46-year-old woman in Schaumburg after she asked him to turn down his stereo.

“Five prior DUI convictions. Two prior attempted murder convictions. A revoked driver's license. Yet this defendant once again chose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated, placing innocent lives in danger,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said in an announcement of the guilty plea Thursday. “His extensive criminal history demonstrates a decades-long disregard for the law and the safety of others.”

ckeeshan@dailyherald.com