Law firm hired to prosecute Eckhoff DUI case

Wheaton has hired the law firm of Marquardt & Belmonte to prosecute DuPage County Board member Grant Eckhoff on a DUI charge.

Eckhoff, of the 200 block of North Erie Street in Wheaton, was charged earlier this year with one count of DUI. He was arrested around 8:30 p.m. March 2 at his home address, according to a police report.

A trial was scheduled for earlier this month. But the attorney responsible for prosecuting the case on behalf of the city of Wheaton, Michelle Moore, also is running for a seat on the county board.

Since Eckhoff's prosecution by a candidate for the county board "may create an appearance of impropriety," the city requested that Moore withdraw from the case, according to a statement released Tuesday by the city.

The state's attorney's office informed the city that it couldn't prosecute the case because it represents the county board. The Illinois Attorney General's Office also wouldn't accept the prosecution.

So the decision was made by Wheaton to hire Marquardt & Belmonte. City officials say the Wheaton-based law firm is "well experienced" in handling these types of cases.

"The city has taken this action to ensure that Mr. Eckhoff is not treated differently than any other person charged with driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor in Wheaton," the city's statement reads.

Eckhoff, a Republican, serves as chairman of the county board's judicial and public safety committee. He won re-election in November 2014 to his position as one of three county board members representing District 4, which includes all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lisle, Lombard, Wheaton and Winfield.

Moore, of Glen Ellyn, is seeking a vacant seat in that same county board district and will be opposed in the Republican primary by attorney Tim Elliott, who also serves on the Glen Ellyn village board and represents the College of DuPage.