Man gets 38 years for possession of stolen vehicle, driving after revocation and aggravated DUI
Cornelious Williams
Online Staff Report
Cornelious Williams, 36, was sentenced Oct. 4 to 10 years for unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, 10 years for aggravated driving after revocation and 10 years for aggravated driving under the influence (DUI) to be served concurrently in the Illinois Department of Corrections. He was also sentenced to eight years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for aggravated driving after revocation.
The total sentence is 38 years. However, the 10-year sentences are to be served concurrently and the eight-year sentence is to be served consecutively.
At approximately 8:18 a.m., Sept. 18, 2009, an officer was on patrol in the area of Fourth Avenue and Sixth Street when he observed a white 1999 Infiniti Q45 with the front driver’s side window tinted. The officer conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and approached the driver, who was later identified as Williams.
The officer confirmed through the Illinois Secretary of State that Williams’ driver’s license was revoked because of DUI and he had previously been convicted of the offense of driving after revocation on at least 14 prior occasions.
At approximately 11:21 p.m., Sept. 8, 2011, an officer was on patrol driving west through the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Street and ran a random registration check on a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. It returned as stolen out of Rockford. A traffic stop was conducted. The driver was identified as Williams. The vehicle had been reported stolen by the Kishwaukee Auto Corral.
Williams had the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, slurred speech, bloodshot and glassy eyes, and had admitted to consuming vodka. Williams swayed as he stood. Williams submitted to a blood alcohol test with a result of .08. A check also revealed Williams’ driving privileges were revoked.
Unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and aggravated driving after revocation are class 2 felonies and have a sentencing range of six to 30 years because of his prior record with three years mandatory supervised release.
Aggravated DUI is a class 4 felony and has a sentencing range of one to six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and is also probation able. The sentences will be served concurrently on the class 2 felonies.
On all class 2 felonies, the defendant was eligible for class X sentencing because of his prior record. He was extended-term eligible on the class 4 felony.
Posted Oct. 9, 2012
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One Comment
With 28 plus years of fighting impaired driver behind me I find it appalling to still see articles like this regarding drunk driving and the total disregard fot the law. Mr. Williams has “at least 14 prior arrests” and this was 2009. Unacceptable! Why was he still on the outside of prison? And then Sept. of 2011 arrested again! How many chances do we give drunk drivers? I’ll answer that…until they kill someone!
My family has suffered at the hands of a drunk driver as my only daughter, 24 year-old Kellie Murphy Wheatley, was killed on a beautiful July 4th afternoon by the town drunk. He had three (3) previous DUI arrests, but no convictions! She left a husband and 14 month-old son…plus a devastated mom, dad and older brother. This was 1984 and we have made great strides in education, awareness and in general, reducing the number of deaths that are alcohol-related across our great nation. When I got involved with MADD in 1984 there were 25,000 alcohol-related vehicle deaths on our highways. That total last year was 10,000. Getting Better? Let’s not call it “better” lets just say people are aware of the tragedies of drinking & driving with everyones help we are saving the mom’s and dad’s, like us, from getting the “knock-on-the-door” telling them to come to the hospital your loved one has been killed/injured by a drunk driver. I hope the readers will remember to report all suspicious drivers and hope & pray that law enforcement can remove these potential killers from our highways before they kill or injures your family, or mine, again. I go to the cemetery to visit my daughter. A lonely place with a very one-sided conversation. The crime of drunk driving is preventable. Let’s stop drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel and when they error, we have to put them behind bars, not give them 14 more chances to kill!