March 25, 2007, 10:31 PM
A reckless driver in a white GMC pickup heading northbound on Harlem at 23rd ,struck a turn lane sign in the median and continued northbound into oncoming lanes of traffic, abruptly returned to the median only to strike the stoplight at 23rd and Harlem, then head off west on Cermak. A driver who witnessed this followed the truck while calling 911. Police stopped the truck at Cermak and DesPlaines. The vehicle still had the traffic control post on its roof; the traffic lights had fallen into the bed of the truck.
The driver, a 45-year-old Stickney man, had only a Mexican ID and required a translator ; his license had been revoked for DUI. He refused chemical sobriety tests, but officers noted he smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes, could barely stand up, and appeared sleepy and unsure of where he was. There was a half-empty 12-pack of Heineken on the front passenger seat. He was charged with driving on a revoked license, illegal transportation of alcohol, no valid insurance, improper lane usage, damage to property and damage to state property.
