Rolling Meadows man with multiple DUIs accused of driving without license
A 52-year-old Rolling Meadows man who prosecutors say has 15 felony and misdemeanor DUI convictions was ordered held without bail Thursday for violating the bond in a pending DUI case.
That ruling came minutes after Christopher Clingingsmith appeared in court on new charges of driving on a revoked or suspended license and for providing police with a fake license stemming from an arrest March 17 in Arlington Heights.
Clingingsmith, who prosecutors say has convictions dating back to 1982, was first ordered held on $1 million bail Thursday by Cook County Judge Steven J. Goebel, who said “this court considers anyone with 15 DUI convictions ... to be dangerous.”
Minutes later, Cook County sheriff's deputies ushered Clingingsmith into another courtroom where Cook County Judge Marc Martin ordered him held without bail for violating his bond in a pending aggravated DUI case from 2017.
“Based on the defendant's criminal history ... based on the defendant allegedly flouting the orders of bond ... the court has a grave concern about the safety of the community being jeopardized,” said Martin.
About 5:21 a.m. March 17, police responded to a report of a vehicle striking a traffic pole near White Oak Drive and New Wilke Road in Arlington Heights, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Gates.
A witness saw Clingingsmith driving a black Cadillac SUV slowly near the crash scene, Gates said. Police stopped him and looked at “what appeared to be an Illinois driver's license ... which was a fake,” Gates said.
According to defense attorney Amy Seamann, Clingingsmith drove to the scene to aid his wife, who was involved in the crash.
Clingingsmith, a heavy machine operator, has been in treatment for alcohol abuse for several months, according to Seamann.
In Clingingsmith's pending aggravated DUI case before Martin, prosecutors say his car struck a party bus in Des Plaines on June 7, 2017. No one was injured, and Clingingsmith, who authorities say left the scene, was arrested a short time later by Arlington Heights police. Clingingsmith was released from Cook County jail after posting $40,000 of his $400,000 bail. Charged with a felony in that case, he faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Clingingsmith next appears in court on April 13.