DeKalb man clocked at 96 miles an hour in Kane County

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP – Kane County deputies charged a DeKalb man with speeding after he was clocked going 96 miles an hour on Route 38 in Virgil Township, according to Kane County Sheriff’s reports.

Francisco J. Escamilla, 31, of the 1100 block of Mary Court, DeKalb, was charged April 23 with speeding 35 or more miles an hour over the 55 mile-an-hour posted speed limit; driving without a valid license; and not having enough seat belts for all the passengers, reports stated.

A Kane deputy was going to pull over to the north side of Route 38 east of Watson Road in Virgil Township shortly before 10 p.m. on April 23 to begin stationary radar patrol, the report stated.

He saw a blue GMC Sierra 2500 traveling fast in the other lane and clocked it at 96 miles an hour; the truck began to decrease its speed with brake lights coming on as it passed the squad car, the report stated.

The deputy turned around to follow and pulled the truck over on Route 38 just east of Meredith Road, also in Virgil Township, the report stated.

The driver, identified as Escamilla, said he did not realize his speed and told the deputy his license was expired, the report stated.

Escamilla told the deputy the truck cannot go any faster than 97 miles an hour; the deputy told him he was clocked at 96, the report stated.

Escamilla gave the deputy an Illinois state ID card instead and provided proof of insurance, the report stated.

The deputy observed five other people in the back seat of the truck which only had seat belts for three people; in total the truck had seven occupants with only five seat belts, the report stated.

The deputy told Escamilla to call someone to pick up the other passengers, the report stated.

Escamilla is to appear in Kane County Branch Court in St. Charles on May 26.

Escamilla told the deputy he had received a ticket a month ago, the report stated.

However, according to DeKalb County court records, Escamilla was ticketed for speeding 15 to 20 miles over the speed limit on July 1, 2020.

Escamilla was also ticketed for driving on a suspended license on Jan. 6, 2020 and on Jan. 9, 2020. He received a fine and 12 months of supervision for the Jan. 6 offense, according to Illinois Secretary of State records confirmed by Elizabeth Kaufman.

A hearing is set on June 11 in DeKalb County for the speeding charge and the Jan. 9 suspended license charge, court records show.

DuPage County court records also show Illinois State Police ticketed Escamilla Dec. 3, 2020 for speeding 26 to 34 miles-an-hour over the speed limit, not having a valid driver’s license and violating a restriction on his license.

Escamilla’s next court date on that charge is May 10 in DuPage County, records show.

DuPage court records also show Escamilla was cited previously in Itasca on Oct. 22, 2018 for speeding 21 to 25 miles an hour over the limit and driving without insurance. He was found guilty of speeding on Jan. 29, 2019, paid a fine and received supervision, and showed proof of insurance, court records show.

DuPage court records also show Escamilla was arrested for speeding 21-25 miles an hour over the limit in Warrenville on Jan. 25, 2016, for which he received court supervision. Though court records state Escamilla pleaded guilty, Kaufman stated in an email that they do not have a record of a conviction, only a record of the arrest and of him sentenced to supervision.

DuPage court records also show that on Nov. 5, 2012 in Glen Ellyn, Escamilla was ticked for speeding 15-20 over the limit and driving with a suspended license, for which he pleaded guilty on Jan. 20, 2015, was fined and received community service.

However, the Secretary of State does not have a record of the speeding ticket or the guilty plea in that case, Kaufman stated in an email.

“It (the speeding charge) may have been dismissed for community service,” Kaufman stated in an email.

Escamilla’s most recent license suspension was from Sept. 27, 2019 to Sept. 27, 2020, and his license expired on Nov. 1, 2019. Though he told Kane deputies that his license was expired – and he was charged with not having a valid license – Kaufman’s email stated Escamilla paid a reinstatement fee on Feb. 11, 2021 for his license.