Name-Dropping School Counselor Arrested for DUI After Cop Recognizes Her

On May 16, 2025 at approximately 10:08 PM, Officer Nicholas Simons with the Villa Park Police Department heard over the radio that the neighboring Elmhurst Police Department had been dispatched to the area of Saint Charles Road and West Avenue on a report of a green Bronco being driven erratically. Dispatch advised that the vehicle was swerving while being driven 15 MPH under the speed limit on Spring Road before continuing westbound on Saint Charles Road through Route 83 into Villa Park.

As he saw the Bronco travel westbound in the vicinity of Saint Charles Road and Ardmore Avenue, he observed the driver continue to swerve. Eventually, he initiated a traffic stop and the driver pulled over in front of Moon Massage at 730 E Saint Charles Road in Lombard. The driver, later identified as Cathleen Bendicsen, told the officer that she was heading to her friend’s house in Lombard. As he was speaking with her, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment.

Sergeant Bryan Hruby and Officer Michael Raymond arrived on scene to assist shortly afterwards. Sergeant Hruby recognized Cathleen based on her prior employment at Willowbrook High School, and he spoke with her for about 20 minutes in an attempt to convince her to perform field sobriety exercises. During their conversation, she admitted to consuming 3 drinks earlier that evening. She also name-dropped Officer Kordell Kitching, an officer that she had previously dated, but Sergeant Hruby told her that he could not interfere with Officer Simons' DUI investigation. Despite his attempts to convince her otherwise, Cathleen refused to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises.

Based on her erratic driving, the odor of alcohol, her indicators of impairment, her admission to consuming alcohol earlier that evening, and her unwillingness to perform any field sobriety sobriety exercises, Officer Simons placed Cathleen under arrest for driving under the influence. She was handcuffed, placed in the patrol car, and transported to the Villa Park Police Department for further processing.

At the Villa Park Police Department, the Warning to Motorist form was read to her but she refused to provide adequate breath samples. After she was processed at the station, she was released to a friend pending her court appearance:

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

-2 Citations for improper lane usage (625 ILCS 5/11-709(a))

Online records indicate that Cathleen is currently employed as a counselor at York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois.

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