A woman was arrested in Lakemoor after she was found to be driving under the influence for the fifth time and prosecutors say she had an unrestrained baby in her car.
Elizabeth Sanchez, 37, of Round Lake, was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence, child endangerment, driving under the influence of alcohol, child restraint violation, transportation of alcohol by a driver, failure to reduce speed, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a crash.
The Lakemoor Police Department responded on January 20 to the Woodman’s Gas Station, 27555 Route 120 in Lakemoor, for a disturbance.
The 911 caller reported someone was driving around in circles screaming, according to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Chloe Juergensen.
Officers found Sanchez driving around the gas station with her head out the window yelling.
Sanchez, who had a strong odor of alcohol emitting from her, got out of the car and officers found a bottle of tequila in the car, Juergensen said.
The woman exhibited numerous signs of impairment, Juergensen said.
Sanchez refused field testing and did not blow into a portable breathalyzer.
Sanchez denied drinking and driving even though officers witnessed her driving.
Sanchez’s baby, approximately 4-6 months old, was in the backseat of the car unsecured, Juergensen said.
The Department of Children and Family Services was notified and they responded and took the baby into their custody.
Court records show Sanchez was also involved in a crash but prosecutors did not provide information as to those charges.
Lake County Judge Veronica O’Malley ordered Sanchez held on a $350,000 bond, meaning she would need to post $35,000 cash in order to be released.
Court records show this was Sanchez’s fifth driving under the influence case and she has several pending cases in Lake County.
Sanchez remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on Monday for a bond review hearing.