Its hard to believe this guy

Highway official hit with DUI again
March 9, 2006
BY STEVE WARMBIR AND FRANK MAIN
Staff Reporters
www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-idot09.html
Dan Stefanski -- a top state transportation official and boyhood friend of the governor -- had the kids in the car and an open bottle of Smirnoff vodka, police say.

He was driving drunk, cops allege.

Again.

Police have arrested Stefanski at least three times for allegedly driving drunk -- twice within the past year while he was employed as a high-ranking official at the Illinois Department of Transportation, an agency that promotes safe driving.

Stefanski embarrassed Gov. Blagojevich last April when he was pulled over for a DUI in McHenry County and was accused of mentioning his state job and friendship with the governor to try to get out of the ticket. Stefanski was allegedly driving so erratically that he forced over a half-dozen cars, including a squad car, and later allegedly took a swing at an officer.

But it was only after IDOT officials learned of Stefanski's most recent DUI arrest that they quietly forced him out of his $105,000-a-year job last week, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

On Feb. 11, Stefanski, 48, was behind the wheel of his Chevy Malibu with two 14-year-olds and a 7-year-old inside when he was pulled over in his hometown of Mundelein, police said. Two of the children were his.

Mundelein police arrested Stefanski after he had pulled around a squad car and into an oncoming traffic lane to make a left turn, authorities alleged.

'I have nothing to say'

Stefanski was charged with endangering the life of a child for having the children with him, and police seized his car. He also was charged with driving on a license that had been suspended due to the DUI arrest last year.

Stefanski refused to take a Breathalyzer after the DUI arrests this year and last spring. His driver's license is suspended until 2009, according to state records.

He is fighting both DUIs.

"I have nothing to say," Stefanski said repeatedly when reached at home Wednesday.

Stefanski once was a deputy director at IDOT but most recently was a special assistant to the head of the agency, where he was in charge of overseeing the workers who fill potholes and plow snow.

Stefanski has been on a disability leave not related to his job since December, IDOT spokesman Matt Vanover said.

"I'm not going to get into why his services are no longer needed," Vanover said.

Union alleged mob ties

Stefanski, a onetime gang member, is a former top Teamsters official in Chicago whose union contributed heavily to Blagojevich.

A Teamsters anti-corruption squad tied Stefanski to alleged mob figures and contended he was once a bookie, according to a report by the investigators. Stefanski has denied those allegations.

Ha! That's nothing, there is a restaurant owner here in Springfield that has received in excess of 20 DUI's and still has his license! It' all in who you know and how much you’re willing to pay!

Quoted: Ha! That's nothing, there is a restaurant owner here in Springfield that has received in excess of 20 DUI's and still has his license! It' all in who you know and how much you’re willing to pay!

The people letting him get away with that are criminals, and they are endangering the local residents(like YOU), call the State Police, see if THEY have any ethics

It is not uncommon to see people with multiple DD citations, unfortunately.

Quoted: Quoted: Ha! That's nothing, there is a restaurant owner here in Springfield that has received in excess of 20 DUI's and still has his license! It' all in who you know and how much you’re willing to pay! The people letting him get away with that are criminals, and they are endangering the local residents(like YOU), call the State Police, see if THEY have any ethics

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