Illinois Judge Charged with DUI

By Marianne Madden

Published on December 08, 2006

Patrick Young, 58, was leaving a St. Louis Rams game with the county’s chief judge, Jan Fiss, when he entered the path of a truck driven by Abel Muhammad, 39, when making a left turn. Muhammad was trapped in the wreckage of his truck and had to be removed by the fire department. He was admitted to the hospital with a broken leg.

Young refused a Breathalyzer test, but officers smelled alcohol on his breath, noticed his red, glassy eyes, and observed his soft, slurred speech. In Illinois, refusing a blood alcohol test is grounds for a six-month license suspension, which begins 45 days after the incident. Misdemeanor DUI carries a maximum sentence of a year in jail and $1,000 in fines.

An officer, Jeffrey Sheary, said he saw Fiss with an open can of Bud Light beer in the front seat. Fiss reportedly poured it on the ground, then tried to hide the can in his coat. Officers were unable to locate the can.

After refusing to take a sobriety test, Young was handcuffed, arrested, and taken to the police station. At the station, he again refused a sobriety test and was released after posting his driver’s license and a $100 bond.

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