Man charged after hitting Rosemont cop with car

Rosemont police charged a Des Plaines man with drunken driving after they say he hit one of their own.

A car driven by John Salemi, of the 600 block of Pearson Street in Des Plaines, struck the Rosemont officer Thursday as he directed traffic at River Road and Wilson in Rosemont, said Assistant State's Attorney Matt Medina during Salemi's bond hearing Friday in Rolling Meadows. The officer underwent surgery for a broken femur Friday.

The 48-year-old Salemi failed field sobriety tests and had a blood-alcohol content of .207, said Medina, adding that this marks Salemi's fifth drunken driving charge.

In addition to aggravated driving under the influence, police also charged Salemi with driving with a revoked license. Salemi has several DUI convictions, including an Illinois conviction in 1999 and a 1989 conviction from Colorado, Medina said. That same year, he received supervision for a DUI in DuPage County.

Cook County Judge Kay Hanlon set Salemi's bond at $100,000 and prohibited him from driving. If convicted, Salemi faces three to seven years in prison. He next appears in court May 13.