Drunk Driving DUI Law

A Lockport police officer had a blood alcohol level almost three times the legal limit when he caused a three-car accident on the Stevenson Expressway, killing a man who was returning home from his second job.

Edward Stapinski, 34, had a blood alcohol level of .223, Assistant State’s Attorney John Carroll said at a bond hearing in the Bridgeview courthouse today.

Stapinski declined to take a Breathalyzer test at the scene of the Sunday night crash but was given a blood test at the hospital, Carroll said. Police officers at the scene described Stapinski as having “bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and a strong smell of alcohol.”

Judge Maureen P. Feerick set Stapinski’s bail at $750,000, as prosecutors had sought. He is charged with reckless homicide and drunk driving.

Stapinski’s lawyer, Matt Walsh, had asked for a lower bond, saying that his client had been on the Lockport Police Department for 7½ years and owned a home in the community.

Also in court were six relatives of Man K. Wong, who died in the accident. Speaking before the hearing, they expressed concern that Stapinski would receive special treatment — and a low bond — because he was a police officer. They did not speak after the hearing.

Ed Stapinski Sr., the officer’s 84-year-old grandfather and a retired welder, stood outside his Lockport home this morning and said the family was devastated. “We’re real surprised,” he said, adding that his wife, Mildred, was inside their home crying.

Stapinski did not attend his grandson’s bond hearing today and said he had not talked with his grandson since the crash. But he said Stapinski always wanted to be a cop.

Linda Pesavento, who lives across the street from the officer, called him “a regular guy who got caught in bad circumstances.”

She said he lives in the home where he grew up, buying it from his mother.  Neighbors considered him a good police officer and a good neighbor who was helpful with neighborhood issues, she said.

If you have been accused of a drunk driving offense in Illinois you should promptly seek legal help. Find a DUI attorney near you.

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