Former Crystal Lake attorney pleads guilty, gets 5-year sentence for fatal drunken-driving crash

A former Crystal Lake attorney on Friday pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with a drunken-driving crash that killed a 41-year-old Port Barrington man.

Robert A. Roth, 70, was charged in June 2020 with aggravated driving under the influence and driving under the influence. He admitted to only the former charge, a Class 2 felony, as part of a plea deal, and three other drunken-driving counts were dismissed from the case.

Roth was sentenced to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections prison system and will serve at least 85% of that time, said Neil Adams, a prosecutor with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The crash happened on Route 31 near the intersection with Drake Drive in Nunda Township. Roth and another man, Michael Pedretti, were driving their separate vehicles north on Route 31, approaching the Drake Drive intersection, when for unknown reasons Roth’s SUV rear-ended Pedretti’s Jeep, according to a related wrongful death lawsuit.

Pedretti’s vehicle subsequently entered the southbound lane and struck a motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle, Adam Antoni, died as a result of the crash.

Roth grew emotional in court Friday, his voice trembling at times as he apologized for his actions to Antoni’s family members who were present.

Adams read statements on behalf of both Jennifer Antoni, Adam Antoni’s widow and a mother of three children, as well as his sister-in-law, Annie Prybil. Both women used tissues to wipe their tears as Adams made his way through their statements that paid tribute to Antoni’s dedication as a father.

Jennifer Antoni had been Adam Antoni’s partner for 12 years and married to him for eight.

“In 12 years, he filled my heart with so much love to last a lifetime. But he should still be here with me right now,” Jennifer Antoni wrote in her statement. “I will be a very, very sad person deep down until I die.”

A statement read by Adams on behalf of Adam Antoni’s parents, Diane and Larry Antoni – who were not present – criticized the sentence of five years, arguing it should have been longer.

“He was killed by a man old enough to know better than to drink and drive in rush hour,” Antoni’s parents’ statement said. “For this kind of death, what do any of you want to tell his two sons and daughter when they get old enough that justice for their dad was a normal five years?”

Roth admitted he had a problem with alcohol abuse as he addressed the court, saying he does not drink anymore. He has attended two to three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a day while committing to helping people struggling with or in recovery from substance abuse and alcoholism.

“No words come close to being adequate to express my sadness and regrets and the pain and loss suffered by the Antoni family,” Roth said to the court. “I am responsible for that pain and loss.”

Roth additionally faces two lawsuits filed by Antoni’s surviving family and Pedretti. Each civil complaint seeks more than $50,000 in money damages. A hearing in those civil cases is set for July 30.

Roth did not appear eligible to practice law in Illinois as of Friday, according to the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission website.