Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fifth DUI Arrest near McHenry

A man from Crystal Lake, identified as Danny R. Hampton, has been handed a five-year prison sentence following his arrest near McHenry for his fifth DUI offense. Hampton, who was found to be three times over the legal alcohol limit, was charged in September 2021 with four counts of aggravated driving under the influence. Two of the charges were classified as Class 1 felonies, while the remaining two were considered Class 4 felonies.

The incident took place on September 26, 2021, when the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office stopped Hampton’s vehicle around 2:13 a.m. near the intersection of South River Road and Fernview Lane in unincorporated McHenry. Suspicions arose when a deputy noticed that the vehicle was traveling in the wrong direction.

Prosecutors revealed that Hampton’s car had turned southbound onto River Road from McHenry Dam Road and was driving in the northbound lane. Acting swiftly, the deputy pulled over the vehicle and approached Hampton, who displayed clear signs of intoxication. Additionally, there was visible damage to the side mirror of the driver’s door.

During their interaction, Hampton spoke with slurred speech and displayed confusion about his intended destination. Deputies also observed that Hampton had difficulty maintaining his balance and could not recall his place of residence. Concerned for his well-being, the McHenry Township Fire Protection District was called to the scene to evaluate Hampton. Subsequently, he was transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry for treatment.

At the hospital, medical professionals discovered that Hampton’s blood alcohol content was three times higher than the legal limit, reinforcing the aggravated nature of his offense. Further investigation revealed that Hampton had a history of four prior convictions for driving under the influence. The previous convictions occurred in 1984 and 1985 in McHenry County, in 1990 in Lake County, and in 2006 in McHenry County.

As the case progressed, Hampton entered into a plea deal and pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol for the fifth time, which is classified as a Class 1 felony. McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt approved the plea on Tuesday and subsequently sentenced Hampton to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally commended the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant State’s Attorney Justin Neubauer for their diligent efforts in ensuring public safety throughout the investigation and prosecution.