A Marengo man was arrested for his eighth DUI when he allegedly pulled out directly into a police officer’s path, nearly causing a crash in Marengo Thursday morning, as officials say he is gambling with the lives of innocent people.
Robert Waschitz, 50, of Marengo, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol with five or more prior violations, a Class X felony, and driving while license suspended or revoked, a Class 4 felony.
An officer with the Marengo Police Department was on routine patrol around 12:30 a.m. Thursday.
Waschitz was driving a silver SUV and pulled directly into the officer’s path, nearly causing a collision, prosecutors said.
The officer observed the vehicle weaving within its lane and nearly striking a curb before they initiated a traffic stop.
The officer immediately observed signs of alcohol impairment from Waschitz, prosecutors said.
Waschitz performed standardized field sobriety tests and he exhibited multiple indicators of impairment, prosecutors said.
He also submitted to a portable breath test that registered a 0.127 breath alcohol concentration.
Prosecutors said Waschitz was transported to the Marengo Police Department and provided an evidentiary breath sample around 2:15 a.m., which revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.099.
Waschitz has seven prior driving under the influence convictions and his driving privileges are revoked.
Waschitz also has four prior convictions for driving while his license had been revoked.
“At some point, enough has to be enough. Seven prior DUI convictions were not enough to stop this defendant from getting behind the wheel again,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said.
“Every time he chose to drive impaired, he gambled with the lives of innocent motorists, pedestrians, and families in our community. Our office will continue to seek detention in cases where repeat offenders demonstrate they refuse to change their behavior and continue to endanger others,” Freese said.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Waschitz pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to the community.
McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the petition and ordered him held in the McHenry County Jail following an Initial Appearance Court hearing on Thursday afternoon.
Waschitz is scheduled to appear in court again on August 4.