City Alderman Charged with Illinois DUI in Chicago

Elected official tried to get police to move from scene of a fatal fire.

The Chicago Police Department used marked patrol cars with their emergency lights activated to block traffic at the scene of a fatal fire around 1:30 am Wednesday. Chicago 24th District Alderman Sharon Denise Dixon drove up to the closed street and told the officers to move their vehicles so she could drive through. When the officers responded by telling Dixon to move her car to make way for fire equipment, she got out and yelled at them. The officers in turn charged Dixon with obstruction of traffic and operating a vehicle without proof of insurance.

She then reportedly moved her car, walked up to the patrol car and pulled on the door handle, demanding the officer's badge number. This time the officers detected alcohol on her breath and a sargeant was summonsed. Dixon, 46, admitted to having had several glasses of wine at a party. She was booked on charges of driving under the influence in Illinois at the Belmont District station in the North Side district.

Dixon, a first term alderman, declined to comment on her Illinois DUI arrest when she was released around 9:40 am, simply stating that she will "have her day in court."

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