Cook County man gets 10 years for seventh DUI

A Cook County judge sentenced a Norridge man convicted of his seventh DUI to 10 years in prison Monday in Rolling Meadows' Third Municipal District.

Circuit Court Judge John Scotillo found 55-year-old Jozef Stepkowski guilty of aggravated DUI, failure to report an accident with injuries and driving while his license was revoked following a bench trial last November.

According to prosecutors, Stepkowski's car rear-ended another car about 8 a.m. June 15, 2008, in the vicinity of South River and Old Willow roads in Prospect Heights. The female driver suffered whiplash and a concussion and was taken to an area hospital, prosecutors said. The defendant fled the scene and was apprehended later by Norridge police based on a license plate and description of the vehicle, prosecutors said.

Stepkowski's attorney, "Doc" Elliot Pollock, cited his client's health problems which include diabetes, high blood pressure and a recent diagnosis of prostate cancer during the mitigation portion of Monday's sentencing hearing.

"Mr. Stepkowski has had a tumultuous relationship with alcohol in the past," Pollock said of his client whose DUI arrests date back to 1986. "He has serious issues with alcohol and would benefit greatly from a treatment plan."

Stepkowski, of the 7200 block of W. Pensacola Ave., claimed innocence, saying he was at home at the time of the incident.

Scotillo was not swayed.

"Drunken driving is a serious scourge in our society. It's a problem we're ever more vigilant of, but it will not go away," said Scotillo who noted that the law demands a minimum of six years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for someone convicted of seven DUIs.

Scotillo noted that this marks the fourth felony conviction for Stepkowski who was also convicted of armed robbery and aggravated battery in 1985, felony DUI in 1995 and driving while his license was revoked in 2005.

Scotillo also pointed out that Stepkowski has four convictions for driving while his license was revoked where no alcohol was involved.

"The defendant just chose to ignore the law. That was not the result of alcoholism or any other excuses," Scotillo said.