Know this driver? red sport coupe, A77-????

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
July 9, 2010

Too bad I'm a law-abiding citizen and won't break the speed limit to chase down a reckless driver. That would make me just like him; right?

This afternoon I was on the motorcycle heading to McHenry from Woodstock. As I rode east on Route 120, a small red sport coupe passed me in the 45MPH no-passing zone in front of Marian Central Catholic High School. I read the first part of the license plate (Illinois A77-????) but couldn't get the rest as he flew past me.

I thought I might catch up at the light at Raffel Road, but it turned green and traffic began to move before I could get close enough to see the rest of the license plate.

The driver was tailgating the car in front of him and then made a sudden swerve into the oncoming lane, passed one car and cut back in to avoid a head-on collision with a westbound car.

There is a no-passing zone eastbound as you go up the hill toward Queen Anne Road, and the driver cut out and went around another car while in the no-passing zone. I lost sight of him as he reached Queen Anne Road.

At that point I pulled over and phoned the McHenry County Sheriff's Department to report a reckless driver (three illegal passes, tailgating, speeding). I provided my name and telephone number and stated I would witness a complaint, if a deputy could get that car stopped. I also asked the dispatcher to notify Wonder Lake and McHenry Police Departments.

About 15 minutes later a dispatcher from the McHenry P.D. called to tell me that an officer had checked Route 120 and had not seen the vehicle. My appreciation and thanks to the McHenry P.D. dispatcher for that call!

If anyone can provide me with the rest of the license plate number, I'd like to arrange a little visit between the driver and a Traffic Court Judge at the McHenry County Circuit Court.