York Counselor Faces DUI Charge, Drops Names In Arrest

ELMHURST, IL – A York High School counselor was arrested on a drunken-driving charge in May, dropping the names of officers she knew in the police department.

Late the night of May 16, Villa Park police arrested Cathleen Bendicsen on a DUI charge. A video of the arrest was posted a week ago on YouTube.

Batavia resident Cathleen Bendicsen has not returned messages for comment. On Friday, her school email account automatically replied, "I am out of the office and unavailable to respond." That message did not appear in response to Patch's message Monday.

Cathleen Bendicsen, a counselor at York High School, is seen in May in the booking area of the Villa Park police station. She was arrested on a DUI charge. (Villa Park Police Department/via video)

During her encounter with police, officers told Bendicsen they were called by someone on Spring Road in Elmhurst reporting her erratic driving. She said she was at a retirement party at an Elmhurst mortgage office attended by a "bunch of people" from York High. Unable to find her phone, she said she must have left it at the party.

An officer told her she wove between lanes. Just outside of Villa Park in Lombard, the officer stopped her.

The officer asked Bendicsen how much she had to drink that night, saying it was "very apparent" she had had more than one.

Bendicsen said she had two.

"I promise you I'm totally fine," she said.

Bendicsen told the officer that she knew a lot of people in the Villa Park Police Department. She named an officer she used to date, adding that she worked at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park for a long time.

The officer mentioned that his sergeant was on site. She asked who it was, and he said Sgt. Bryan Hruby.

She asked to speak with Hruby, whom the department previously assigned as Willowbrook High School's resource officer.

Earlier, Hruby was seen on body camera footage telling the officer that he would back whatever choice he made in Bendicsen's situation.

Hruby said the same to Bendicsen. But Bendicsen questioned that arrangement.

"You oversee him," she said. "Why don't you get to make that decision?"

Hruby said he was the supervisor, but the patrol officer makes the call.

"When this came out and I knew it was you, I came here because I wanted to make sure that this gets done the best way and the right way," he said.

He noted their time working at Willowbrook High.

"You and I were buddies down there," Hruby said. "We got along great. We may still have each other's cellphone numbers. We're cool."

Bendicsen asked, "How am I in a spot where I might get myself in trouble?"

"You put yourself in this spot when you got in the car and decided to drive," Hruby replied.

She repeatedly asked Hruby about the identity of the person who called about her driving in Elmhurst. He said he did not have that information at his fingertips.

Bendicsen also told Hruby several times that she had eaten and had three drinks, up from the two she told the patrol officer.

She asked Hruby to call a couple of specific Villa Park police officers, including the chief. But Hruby said he would not do that because they were likely asleep.

Bendicsen asked Hruby repeatedly what she should do. He told her she should follow the patrol officer's instructions and take field sobriety tests.

He then told Bendicsen a final time about her choices. She declined to take the tests.

Hruby then told the officer that Bendicsen would not step out of her car.

"You can make whatever decision you have to make," Hruby said.

The officer immediately decided to arrest Bendicsen.

Hruby informed her, "He's going to take you into custody for being an intoxicated driver."

No trial date has been set.

In response to a Patch inquiry Friday, Elmhurst School District 205 spokeswoman Tonya Daniels said the district was aware of the video, but could not comment on personnel matters.