District 54 superintendent pleads guilty to reckless driving
Saying he hopes to move on from his arrest last month on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 Superintendent Andy DuRoss pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of reckless driving.
DuRoss was sentenced by a DuPage County judge to one year of court supervision, six months of wearing an alcohol monitoring bracelet, 50 hours of community service, and participation in a victim impact panel, and fined $2,500. DuRoss also was ordered to get counseling.
After Tuesday's brief hearing in Wheaton, the 46-year-old took responsibility for his Feb. 1 arrest, which happened in Naperville while he was driving home from a restaurant.
"I made a mistake," said DuRoss, who lives in Naperville. "This has been a humbling and very difficult experience for me and my family. I'm hopeful that today's resolution will allow me and my family to move past this incident. For that, I'm grateful."
District 54 board President Bill Harper said the outcome of DuRoss' court appearance will be discussed by the board as a personnel issue in closed session at the end of its meeting Thursday, March 6, at the Rafferty Administration Center, 524 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg.
Harper said that even if the board reaches a consensus during that discussion, any action that might result from it likely would be taken in open session at the following board meeting, on Thursday, March 20.
Harper added that the public reaction he's heard has been split nearly 50-50 over whether the charges should affect DuRoss' employment.
DuRoss previously has said the circumstances leading to his arrest began while he was out to dinner with his wife and another couple in Naperville.
At 12:53 a.m. Feb. 1, Naperville police got a call for an intoxicated subject at Sullivan's Steakhouse in the city's downtown, authorities said.
When an officer arrived, there was an argument in progress between DuRoss and restaurant staff over a missing purse.
According to records, the officer advised DuRoss to take a cab home rather than drive. But at 1:01 a.m., the same officer observed DuRoss driving near the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Avenue. A traffic stop was made at Washington Street and Jefferson.
DuRoss had a blood-alcohol concentration measured at 0.117 percent, according to court records. Anything over .08 is considered intoxicated under state law.
Originally, DuRoss was charged with two counts of DUI. As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, the first count was amended to become a charge of reckless driving. The second count was dropped.
When asked whether there have been any job repercussions as result of his arrest, DuRoss said the District 54 school board is monitoring the situation.
"I made them aware of the circumstances immediately," he said.
DuRoss, who is in his first year as superintendent, previously spent six years as assistant superintendent for human resources and was principal of Frost Junior High in Schaumburg for three years.
DuRoss said he has learned from his mistake.
"I am incredibly humbled by it," DuRoss said. "It's been a very difficult circumstance for me and my family. I'm committed to moving forward."