The list of drivers whose DUI cases were affected by a clerical error when a Madison County clerk failed to timely schedule statutory summary suspension hearings includes a woman with a long criminal history who had been driving on a revoked license.
Madison County Circuit Clerk Mark von Nida said a clerk mistakenly failed to schedule hearings within the required 30-day window after the motorists filed petitions to rescind statutory summary suspensions. The clerical error affected six cases, including former U.S. attorney Stephen Wigginton’s most recent DUI. Some cases were able to be corrected with hearings rescheduled within the proper timeframe while others were not.
Lavonda Wallace, 47, of Quincy, was driving a 2000 maroon Ford passenger car near Century Dr. and Center Grove Rd. in Edwardsville at 12:02 a.m. on Feb. 4 when an officer investigating a 911 call reporting intoxicated subjects pulled her over.
According to the police report, Wallace had been driving on a revoked license. She was stopped for improper lane usage. The officer reported that she had mumbled speech, bloodshot eyes, and her breath smelled of alcohol. She also admitted to taking prescription medications.
Wallace has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1992, including several charges for domestic battery/bodily harm, theft, possession of cannabis or controlled substances, DUIs and driving on revoked or suspended licenses.
More specifically, her traffic violations include a DUI in Morgan County in October 2002, driving on a suspended license in November 2002, driving on a revoked license in Adams County in October 2018 and her most recent DUI charge and driving on a revoked license last month.
Wallace is represented by Benedict Song of Chatham & Baricevic in Belleville.
Song requested a hearing on Wallace’s statutory summary suspension on Feb. 22.
A motion hearing had been set for March 28 but was able to be corrected and moved up to March 21 at 9 a.m.
Scott Tillery, 28, of East Alton, was driving a 2013 blue Chevrolet passenger car near N. Main St. and Old Alton Edwardsville Rd. in Edwardsville on Feb. 1 at 12:39 a.m. when he was stopped for improper lane usage and driving 52 mph in a 30 mph zone.
According to the police report, the officer found Tillery to have glossy eyes, slurred speech and he smelled of alcohol.
Tillery is represented by Barbara Joiner and Bryce Joiner of The Joiner Law Office in Edwardsville.
Tillery's counsel filed a petition for a hearing on the statutory summary suspension on Feb. 8. A motion hearing was scheduled for March 12.
Tillery’s statutory summary suspension was rescinded on March 12 because the hearing was not held within 30 days of his petition.
Jordanne Minar, 20, of Collinsville, was driving a 2015 gray Jeep near W Main St. and N. Clinton St. in Collinsville on Dec. 23 at 2:07 a.m. when she was stopped for improper lane usage, sporadic breaking and stopping past the stop line.
Minar will not turn 21, the legal drinking age, until October.
According to the police report, Minar had a blood alcohol level of .114. The officer reported that Minar had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, ptosis and smelled of alcohol. Minar was also fumbling with paperwork and had difficulty following instructions.
Minar is represented by attorney Derek Siegel of The Kuehn Law Firm in Belleville.
Siegel filed a petition for a hearing on the statutory summary suspension on Feb. 13.
On March 5, a motion hearing was scheduled for March 21.
Gary Novich, 68, of Granite City, was driving a 2006 black Ford passenger car on Maryville Road in Granite City on Dec. 9, 2018, at 7:05 p.m. when he was pulled over. Circumstances of the DUI are not known as a police report has not yet been filed.
Novich is represented by Jeremy Sackett of Swanson and Sackett PC in Edwardsville.
Sackett filed a petition for a statutory summary suspension hearing on Jan. 11. On Jan. 9, a pretrial conference and motion hearing had been set for Feb. 7 but was canceled. Then on March 12, a motion hearing was set for April 4 at 1 p.m.
Brian Renoud, 21, of Edwardsville, was driving a 2008 silver Ford passenger car at N. Main St. and W. Vandalia St. in Edwardsville on Jan.23 at 11:44 p.m. when he was stopped for driving 39 mph in a 25 mph zone.
The officer reported that Renoud had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. Renoud also showed signs of impairment during field sobriety tests, the police report states.
Renoud is represented by Steven Selby of Smith Mendenhall Selby & Cole in Alton.
Selby filed a petition for a statutory summary suspension hearing on Feb. 4. A motion hearing had been set for March 7.
However, according to a March 11 discharge summary, the defendant “completed 10 hours of risk education classes and 12 hours of early intervention treatment classes and is discharged successfully.”