Jeffrey Hirsch : “McHenry County Judge Charged in 93mph Crash”

A McHenry County judge, Jeffrey L. Hirsch, found himself in legal trouble after allegedly speeding on his motorcycle at 93 mph and crashing while a sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on him. The incident occurred at approximately 10:10 a.m. on June 9 in the vicinity of Route 47 and Vanderkarr Road in unincorporated Hebron.

According to court records, a McHenry County sheriff’s deputy observed Hirsch’s 2022 Harley Davidson motorcycle travelling northbound on Route 47 at a speed exceeding 35 mph over the posted 55 mph limit. The deputy initiated a traffic stop but witnessed the motorcycle crashing before he could intervene.

Following the crash, Hirsch, a 55-year-old resident of Woodstock and a McHenry County associate judge since October 2015, complained of left-side pain. Emergency services were summoned, and he was subsequently transported to Mercyhealth Hospital in Harvard for medical evaluation.

As a result of the incident, northbound Route 47 had to be temporarily closed to facilitate the removal of the crashed motorcycle. Hirsch was later charged with speeding over 35 mph above the limit, a Class A misdemeanor.

In an effort to protect his privacy, Hirsch invoked the Judicial Privacy Act, requesting that his personal information not be publicly disclosed by the McHenry County Circuit Court clerk or the sheriff. Failure to comply with this request could result in legal action against the parties involved.

Subsequently, McHenry County Chief Judge Michael Chmiel sought the intervention of the Illinois Supreme Court, leading to the appointment of Kane County Judge Julio Valdez to oversee Hirsch’s case. The first court hearing took place on Monday, with the case scheduled for a plea hearing on August 2.