Former Geneva alderman charged with DUI

GENEVA – Former Geneva alderman William K. Barclay, 49, of the 300 block of Hamilton Street, Geneva, was charged March 31 with driving under the influence after being found passed out behind the wheel in his car, police reports and court records show.

According to police reports, a woman who lives on the 500 block of Cannon Drive called police at 2:55 a.m. to report a suspicious vehicle parked in front of her house. Responding officers found Barclay in his silver 2007 Honda CR-V parked directly beside a sign stating, “No parking this side of street,” police and court records show.

Barclay was “passed out in the driver’s seat with his shoes off, keys in the ignition, and [a] half-eaten sandwich in [his] hand,” according to the officer’s sworn report in the court records.

Barclay smelled of alcohol and admitted drinking, and “was very incoherent and slurred his speech,” the sworn report stated.

Because Barclay refused a Breathalyzer test, the officer filed a 12-month summary suspension notice of Barclay’s driver’s license, the sworn report stated.

Illinois Secretary of State spokesman Dave Druker said Barclay’s license will be suspended from May 16 to May 16, 2018.

Barclay filed court papers April 6 seeking to rescind the summary suspension of his license because he had not been properly placed under arrest at the time; the arresting officer did not have reasonable grounds to believe he was driving or was in physical control of the vehicle; that he was not properly warned; and that he did not refuse to submit to chemical or other tests upon the officer’s request.

Barclay is entitled to a hearing on the suspension within 30 days of his court filing to rescind the statutory suspension, records show.

He is to appear in court again on June 26, records show.

Barclay served as a 2nd Ward alderman from 2001 to 2009, after serving on the Geneva Public Library Board from 1993 to 2001. He also endorsed current 5th Ward Alderman Tom Simonian for Geneva mayor in the April 4 consolidation election. Simonian lost to incumbent Mayor Kevin Burns, who will begin a fifth term May 1.

Barclay has a previous DUI conviction from May 1986, for which his license was revoked from 1987 to 1988, Druker said.

Barclay, a local Farmers Insurance agent, did not respond to a voicemail message seeking comment.