South Elgin driver charged with felony DUI in Geneva

GENEVA – A South Elgin man, previously convicted six times for drunken driving, was charged with four counts of felony aggravated DUI, according to Geneva police reports, court and Secretary of State records.

Steven B. Friedle, 62, of the 100 block of North South Elgin Boulevard, South Elgin, also was charged June 17 with misdemeanor driving under the influence, and the petty offenses of driving too fast for conditions, driving an uninsured vehicle and improper lane use, court records show.

Secretary of State records show that Friedle was convicted of DUI on July 26, 1978; Feb. 1, 1979; May 3, 1981; March 10, 1985; Oct. 25, 1985; and Dec. 3, 1989.

Secretary of State records also show that Friedle’s license was last renewed on May 3, 2021.

Geneva police were called to the 0-99 block of East Fabyan Parkway in response to a crash with possible injuries at 8:40 p.m., according to the report.

A black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, driven by Friedle, was on top of the raised median on the Fabyan Parkway bridge over the Fox River, according to the report.

Several bystanders were trying to help Friedle out of the pickup. When an officer tried to assist Friedle by having him sit on the median he refused and eventually fell down, according to the report.

As the truck still was running and in the drive position, an officer had to put it in park and shut the engine off, according to the report.

Friedle told police his insurance information was in the pickup. While looking in his truck for the insurance information, police found an empty bottle of Jägermeister, as well as the top of a Michelob Ultra bottle in the center console, according to the report.

Friedle’s insurance expired in 2020, according to the report.

Before ending up on the median, Friedle first crashed into the eastbound traffic guardrail on the south side of East Fabyan Parkway, according to the report.

Friedle’s pickup then went northeast from the south curb lane across the the eastbound lanes, eventually driving up onto the raised median, almost 400 feet later, according to the report.

Friedle was released on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond and ordered not to have any drugs or alcohol as a condition of his release.

He is scheduled to appear in court again on July 20.

The most serious charges Friedle faces two Class 2 felonies, based on his previous convictions, punishable by four to seven years in prison and fines up to $25,000 or up to 48 months of probation, if convicted.

Friedle’s attorney Brick Van Der Snick said they were waiting on the results of Friedle’s blood draw at the hospital.

“He’s driving home, he is going across the bridge on Fabyan – that has construction – and at Route 25, he tapped a guard rail, and the airbags were engaged,” Van Der Snick said. “He went to the hospital and got some serious medical treatment and then he was released.”