Driver in Salerno fatality gets another DUI

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
August 24, 2012

Scott Hirschey, 49, of Crystal Lake, was arrested in Crystal Lake on July 27 for DUI, according to Wednesday morning's Northwest Herald. Wednesday was August 22. He was arrested July 27. The reason for the delay in reporting this?

None of the eight commenters to the article questioned why Hirschey was cited into Crystal Lake's municipal court, where his violation would be handled as a civil offense, rather than as a crime, as it would have been in McHenry County Circuit Court. Convictions in the municipal court are not reported to the Secretary of State's office. The article reads, "He is to appear in municipal court at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 11 on the misdemeanor charges, according to the Crystal Lake Police Department."

What the article does not mention is that Hirschey is charged in McHenry County Circuit Court with DUI and five traffic charges filed by Crystal Lake PD on August 1 for the July 27th violations. So maybe he won't be appearing in Crystal Lake's municipal court on Sept. 11. In addition to DUI, Hirschey is charged with Operating an Uninsured vehicle, Changing lanes without a signal, Improper turn at an intersection, Transportation of alcohol by driver, and Improper Traffic Lane Usage. Hirschey's driving privileges were suspended.

Hirschey was operating a snowmobile in Vilas County, Wisc. on January 24, 2008, with Randy Salerno as a passenger, when Hirschey crashed the snowmobile. His BAC then was 0.18, according to the Northwest Herald article. He got three years' probation, community service and alcohol assessment, but he escaped jail time. Does Hirschey have a problem with alcohol?