Man With 6 DUIs Charged Again After Crash

By Sam Borcia, the Lake & McHenry County Scanner

A Harvard man who has six previous DUI convictions has been charged again with DUI after he crashed into a car in Lake in the Hills and fled the scene, police said.

Mathew S. Berry, 44, of the 3700 block of Hawthorne Road in Harvard, was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence, aggravated driving on a revoked license, leaving the scene of an accident, failing to give aid or info, improper turn at an intersection, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and transporting open alcohol.

Berry was the driver of a 2003 Ford Explorer on Saturday when he made an improper turn at Miller Road and Lakewood Road in Lake in the Hills, according to a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court.

Berry’s vehicle struck another vehicle while he attempted to make the improper turn, the complaint said. No one was injured during the crash.

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He then fled the scene but witnesses followed him and called the police, according to a law enforcement report filed in court.

Officers found an open beer bottle in the center cupholder of Berry’s vehicle.

A breathalyzer test showed that Berry’s blood alcohol content was 0.213, which is almost three times over the legal limit.

The complaint also said that Berry has six previous driving under the influence convictions and his license was previously revoked.

A McHenry County judge ordered Berry held in the McHenry County Jail on a $120,000 bond.

He would need to post $12,000 cash in order to be released.

Berry, who remains held in the jail as of Thursday, is scheduled to appear in court on May 14 for a preliminary hearing.

Lake and McHenry County Scanner is a local breaking news website covering issues that matter such as shootings, stabbings, house fires, kidnappings, car accidents, and more around Lake County and McHenry County.