Board members of the Village of Gurnee, Illinois, north of Chicago, recently approved ordinance aimed at penalizing drivers accused of Illinois DUI. Those stopped for suspicion of drunk driving can have their vehicle seized and be forced to pay the village $500 to the village plus storage charges to the towing company.
While the original content of the law called for mandatory towing, an exception allows the arresting officer the flexibility in permitting a sober passenger to drive the vehicle home without a fine.
The $500 charge for seizure of a vehicle will not be returned even if the accused motorist in found not guilty of driving under the influence in a court of law. However the driver can appeal the fine to an independent hearing officer hired by the village.
In addition the Gurnee, other suburban Chicago communities like Arlington Heights have similar DUI towing provisions.
Critics call the ordinance just a money making scheme for the village.
