BELLEVILLE – State’s Attorney James Gomric dismissed a ticket that police issued to Illinois Supreme Court candidate Judy Cates after her car struck a van from behind in June in Fairview Heights.
The other driver, Clarence Ingles of O’Fallon, learned later that she’s a Fifth District appellate judge and she beat the ticket.
At his home on Dec. 12, Ingles said it sounded like favoritism.
“I don’t think you should get special treatment because you’re a judge,” Ingles said.
In an email statement, Cates denied she was treated with favoritism in the dismissal of the ticket, and said she would “never accept such favoritism.”
The crash occurred on June 21, seven minutes before noon, on Illinois Avenue near Frank Scott Parkway.
According to Fairview Heights officer Travis Montgomery, Cates drove north behind Ingles in the right lane.
Cates, age 67, drove a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan.
Ingles, age 86, drove a 1999 Ford delivery van for LaRosa’s Flowers of O’Fallon.
Montgomery wrote that Cates said the van came to a sudden stop.
“Unit 2 had stopped because of a bus stopping in front of Unit 2, although she did not see the bus until it was too late,” Montgomery wrote.
“Unit 1 was not able to stop in time and collided with the rear of Unit 2.”
He wrote that Ingles said the bus came to a stop causing him to come to a stop.
“While stopped Unit 2 was rear ended by Unit One,” Montgomery wrote.
He issued a citation to Cates charging failure to reduce speed.
Conviction can cost up to $1,000, and it often increases insurance premiums.
Associate judge Elaine LeChien held a first appearance on Aug. 13.
Her order noted that Cates was present and was not represented by an attorney at the time.
LeChien dismissed the citation by motion of the state. She wrote by hand, “Proof of ins paid claim.”
Cates stated that she was told by Fairview Heights police that everyone involved in rear-end collisions receive a ticket, as that is the policy of its department - fault is presumed.
She also stated that on her first appearance in court she provided a letter from her insurance carrier indicating that it was taking care of any and all repairs and/or injuries.
Her statement further reads, “The assistant State's Attorney assigned to handle the matter indicated that the State's Attorney's office would offer her the same plea agreement offered to everyone in a rear-end accident under the circumstances presented, where the car stopped short in front of her. Justice Cates insisted to the State's Attorney that she was prepared to pay a fine, as agreed to by her attorney, whom she had asked to handle her case.”
The offer of dismissal Cates received from an assistant state’s attorney was the same for her as with everyone under the circumstances, she said in the statement.
“If the driver would like this matter re-instated, he can contact the State's Attorney's office and Justice Cates would agree to the reinstatement, as she believes this is just the beginning of a negative campaign against her integrity, instigated by her opponents and the Republican Party,” the statement concluded.