Motorist with 2 kids in front charged with DUI
BY BILL BIRD wbird@stmedianetwork.com September 28, 2012 10:52PM
Joseph M. Cortese, 29, of Crest Hill, is accused of having two girls under the age of 5 in his car while driving drunk in Naperville. | Courtesy of Naperville Police Department
Updated: October 2, 2012 11:00PM
A man from Crest Hill is free on bond and awaiting trial, after he allegedly drove drunk in Naperville with two small children in the front seat of his car.
Joseph M. Cortese, 29, is charged with two counts of endangering the health or life of a child, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol, making an improper turn at an intersection, failure to signal, improper lane use and failure to wear a seat belt, according to Naperville police and records on file in Will County Circuit Court in Joliet.
Cortese is also charged with violation of bail bond. He had been free on bond after being arrested in May on a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia, court records indicated.
Naperville police Sgt. Gregg Bell said Cortese was arrested about 7:41 p.m. Sept. 23 near 111th Street and Route 59 on the city’s far southwest side.
An officer on patrol watched as Cortese allegedly ignored a traffic signal while driving his red, Chevrolet S-10, Bell wrote in an e-mail. Cortese also was not wearing his seat belt, Bell said.
“As the vehicle was being stopped by the officer, the driver was noted (putting) on his safety belt,” Bell said. The officer also determined Cortese “appeared to be under the influence of alcohol,” Bell said.
The officer further noted Cortese had “two children in child car seats next to him,” Bell said. The children, both girls under the age of 5, “were OK, and later turned over to their mother,” he said.
Cortese is scheduled to appear Oct. 22 in court to answer the charges.
