A judge rejected a Spring Grove man’s request to be released under the SAFE-T Act after he was charged with DUI for his eighth time and driving on a suspended license for his 14th time.
Mark E. Friske, 64, of Spring Grove, has been held in the McHenry County Jail since May 2 on a cash bond, jail records show.
McHenry County sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop around 6:50 p.m. on January 7.
They stopped a 1999 Ford pickup truck, driven by Friske, near Route 31 and Dakota Drive in Ringwood, court records show.
The Ford had reportedly crossed the fog line several times.
Friske told deputies he had just left a bar after drinking, according to a police report.
Friske’s license was revoked at the time of the stop and he said that he had too much to drink, the report said.
Deputies could smell alcohol on his breath and noticed his eyes were bloodshot.
A grand jury indicted Friske in April on charges of six counts of aggravated driving under the influence and one count of driving on a revoked or suspended license.
An indictment filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said Friske had seven prior driving under the influence violations in Illinois.
The indictment also said Friske has 13 prior convictions for driving on a revoked or suspended license, dating back to 1986. They all occurred in Cook, McHenry, Lake and McLean counties.
Friske was initially charged with misdemeanors following his arrest. The charges were upgraded to felonies by the grand jury.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office arrested Friske on a warrant carrying a $150,000 bond in early May.
After the end of cash bail under the SAFE-T Act went into effect last month, Friske, who was unable to post 10% of the cash bond, filed a motion for pre-trial release.
Prosecutors subsequently filed a petition to detain Friske pre-trial without the ability to post a cash bond or be released on conditions.
A hearing was later held in front of McHenry County Judge James Cowlin.
Prosecutors said during the hearing that Friske admitted to officers that he was driving and acknowledged committing a crime.
He allegedly made statements of “you got me” and said he knew he should not have been driving.
Cowlin denied Friske’s motion and granted the state’s attorney’s office’s petition to hold Friske.
The judge found Friske’s release would result in a danger to the community and there was “nothing to show” he would not get back behind the wheel of a car upon release.