Mom Arrested for DUI in Front of her 7-Year-Old Daughter

On June 2, 2024 at approximately 11:45 PM, officers with the Lake Forest Police Department received a call of a vehicle being driven erratically on Route 41 northbound. Officer Jaquez located a gray 2015 Infiniti matching the caller’s description in the area of Route 41 and Route 60. He began following the vehicle and a check of the registration indicated that it was suspended due to non-insurance. The driver was swerving and Officer Jaquez activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. The driver kept driving for approximately 49 seconds before finally stopping in front of By the Way Motel in the neighboring town of Lake Bluff.

Officer Jaquez made contact with the driver of the Infiniti, who was identified as 28-year-old Raven. Her 7-year-old daughter was asleep in the back seat of the car. Raven told the officer that she was coming from Chicago and headed back home to Zion. As he was speaking with Raven, Officer Jaquez detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Raven denied consuming alcohol, but Officer Jaquez asked her to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises.

The first field sobriety exercise was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Officer Jaquez observed the lack of smooth pursuit and distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Raven did not touch heel-to-toe on each step, took an incorrect number of steps, and failed to count aloud. The third exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand test, Raven failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion and put her foot down before the test was complete.

Following the field sobriety exercises, Officer Jaquez offered Raven an opportunity to take a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT), but she declined. Based on her erratic driving, the odor of alcohol, and her inability to adequately perform the field sobriety exercises, Officer Jaquez placed Raven under arrest for driving under the influence. A search of her vehicle incident to arrest indicated the presence of a pink plastic cup with a liquid that was later confirmed to be an alcoholic beverage. Both Raven and her 7-year-old were placed in the patrol car together.

Raven and her daughter were transported by Officer Jaquez to the Lake Forest Police Department for further processing. At the station, the Warning to Motorist form was read to Raven, but she refused to submit breath samples. After the officer processed her, she was released pending her court appearance.

Raven was charged with the following:

-Driving under the influence - alcohol (625 ILCS 5/11-501(a)(2))

-Driving on a Suspended License (625 ILCS 5/6-303(a))

-Transportation or possession of alcoholic liquor in a motor vehicle (625 ILCS 5/11-502(a))

-Improper traffic lane usage (625 ILCS 5/11-709(a))

-Cause child to be endangered (720 ILCS 5/12C-5(a)(1))

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