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Refusal to exit car costly decision for South Elgin woman

Remember that scene from the 1991 movie "Backdraft" in which firefighters had to break the window of an expensive car so they could connect to the fire hydrant that the car was blocking?

Probably not, but a recent Elgin police arrest reminded me of it.

According to an Elgin police report, officers had to break the window of a South Elgin woman's car after she locked the doors and refused to get out after a traffic stop.

Police pulled over Lissell B. Calvillo, 33, of the 600 block of Dean Street, at 3:12 a.m. April 15 at Bluff City Boulevard and South Liberty Street in Elgin because her license plate light was out on her 1996 Nissan Maxima.

Calvillo told police she had a Texas drivers's license, but a search came up empty for the Lone Star state and Illinois, and police told her four times to get out of the car.

"The driver refuses to exit the vehicle, locks the vehicle doors and continues talking on a cellphone," the report stated.

More officers arrive, she is told she is under arrest for obstructing an officer and police ultimately break her rear passenger window to get her out and in handcuffs.

It turns out, according to the report, Calvillo's driver's license was revoked and she was wanted on four warrants.

One of the warrants was the result of a June 2011 arrest in Elgin for operating an uninsured vehicle, court records show. Calvillo got a judge to continue the case three times and then blew off court and failed to pay a $500 fine.

She also was arrested in September 2011 on a charge of misdemeanor obstructing identification in Elgin, and a warrant was issued after she failed to appear in court.

She now faces up to 364 days in jail on the charge of obstructing officers.

She is free on bond and due in court Monday.

Telling it straight: Kane County Circuit Judge James Hallock is known for using plain and direct language to explain to defendants their rights as well as possible penalties.

Such was the case for Darren L. Schmitt, 31, of the 6400 block of Main Street, Union, who recently pleaded guilty to reduced charges of misdemeanor resisting arrest. Authorities said it took three Elgin police officers to subdue an intoxicated Schmitt Dec. 23, 2013.

Schmitt was sentenced to two years probation, counseling, 50 hours of community service, and ordered to write apology letters. Schmitt also wore an alcohol monitoring bracelet for about two months while the case was pending.

Prosecutors dismissed the most severe charges of three counts of aggravated battery to a police officer, a felony that carried anywhere from probation to seven years in prison.

Schmitt's attorney asked the judge if Schmitt could still go to Wisconsin on the weekends, especially in the summer.

Then Hallock spoke to Schmitt about his alcohol abuse.

"If you don't get a handle on this at your young age, you are going to have a miserable couple of years ahead of you, and then you're dead," Hallock said. "If you're dead, you can't go fishing anymore. Don't let this opportunity escape you."

hhitzeman@dailyherald.com

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