IDOT official pleads guilty in Wood Dale DUI case

An Illinois Department of Transportation official who has represented the agency at safe-driving events pleaded guilty Wednesday to drunken driving.

Carmen Iacullo, 58, of Chicago, will be fitted with a device that detects alcohol consumption. He also must serve a year of court supervision, pay a $1,000 fine, and attend a victim impact panel, DuPage County Judge Liam Brennan ordered.

Iacullo, an operations manager and deputy to IDOT’s regional engineer in Chicago, has represented the agency at several events on safe driving, one as recently as November. He declined to comment as he left court.

Police stopped his 2003 Mercury Sable shortly after midnight on Nov. 20 for an improper turn at Irving Park Road and Oak Avenue in Wood Dale, according to court records. An officer noted Iacullo had poor balance and bloodshot, glassy eyes. Iacullo agreed to a breath test and registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.098, just over the legal threshold of 0.08.

Wood Dale City Prosecutor Demetri Panoushis described Iacullo as “completely cooperative” during the arrest.

“He admitted to consuming some alcohol,” Panoushis said.

As a result of his plea, Iacullo must wear for six months a device that detects alcohol through the skin. The device is usually reserved for more aggravating drunken driving cases, but Panoushis said Iacullo agreed to wear it because state-issued work vehicles cannot be fitted with a breath tester.

“This is more stringent. but he accepted it willingly,” Panoushis said.

In a statement, IDOT said Iacullo received a 30-day unpaid suspension and reassignment to administrative duties with no access to state vehicles.

“Any recurrence will result in immediate dismissal,” the statement said. “The Illinois Department of Transportation takes these issues very seriously. Violations by any of its employees will not be tolerated.”

Iacullo had no prior criminal history.