4 Intoxicated Drivers Arrested On 'Blackout Wednesday': Kane Sheriff

KANE COUNTY, IL — Kane County's anti-DUI operation for Thanksgiving eve resulted in the arrest of four intoxicated drivers, officials announced Friday.

A collaborative effort between 12 law enforcement agencies in Kane County, the "No-Refusal operation" took place from 11 p.m. Nov. 27 to 3 a.m. Nov. 28, an evening known as "Blackout Wednesday," when many gather to excessively drink.

The initiative was designed to assist police in obtaining search warrants for people who refuse to submit to chemical testing after a DUI arrest. Kane County assistant state's attorneys will help officers through the process "to compel a DUI suspect to submit to a lawfully requested blood, breath or urine test."

Illinois courts have previously held that a person has no right to refuse chemical testing when probable cause exists, the Kane County State's Attorney's Office said in a news release.

During the initiative, officials arrested one person in St. Charles and three people in Aurora, officials said.

The St. Charles driver was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, and two other drivers, arrested in Aurora, submitted to blood-alcohol-level testing to reveal they were at 0.125 and 0.115, well above the legal threshold of 0.08, according to the release.

The fourth arrest was made by the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, which obtained a search warrant after a driver refused to submit to a chemical test. Officials said the driver, arrested in Aurora, continued to refuse testing after being presented with the warrant and, as a result, was charged with obstructing justice.

"I am deeply grateful to the dedicated law enforcement officers who work tirelessly to keep our streets safe during all hours, every day of the year," State's Attorney Jamie Mosser said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that these individuals chose to drive under the influence, endangering themselves and others. There is simply no excuse to drive impaired with so many safe transportation options available. The safety of our community must always come first, and initiatives like these send a clear message — we will not tolerate reckless and dangerous behavior on our roads."

The participants included police departments from Aurora, Batavia, Carpentersville, Elburn, Elgin, Geneva, Montgomery, Pingree Grove, St. Charles, and West Dundee as well as Illinois State Police Troop 3 and the Kane County Sheriff's Office.

This year's operation was Kane County's 37th since the office began the program in 2008.