Spring Grove man accused of driving drunk 8th time, and 14th time driving without a license

A Spring Grove man is being held on $150,000 bond in the McHenry County Jail after allegedly driving drunk for an eighth time and without a license for a 14th time, according to an indictment filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

Mark E. Friske, 64, of the 3500 block of North Route 12, is charged with three counts of driving under the influence, Class X felonies, and aggravated driving under the influence on a suspended or revoked license, according to documents filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

If convicted of the Class X felonies, he could face up to 30 years in prison.

On Friday, McHenry County Judge James Cowlin denied a reduction in his bond and set a date for arraignment on Friday, May 12, according to court documents.

On or about Jan. 7, Friske was driving an uninsured 1999 Ford pickup truck near the area of Route 31 and Dakota Drive under the influence of alcohol and an “other drug or drugs or intoxicating compound to a degree that rendered [the] defendant incapable of safely driving,” according to the indictment and complaints filed by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

He was pulled over by police after allegedly crossing over the center line “several times,” according to the complaint filed by a sheriff’s deputy.

He also refused to submit to a breath test when he was pulled over, according to the deputy’s report filed in the courthouse.

“He stated he had too much to drink,” the officer wrote, adding that Friske’s eyes were bloodshot and he smelled of alcohol. Friske also told the arresting officer that he had “just left the bar” and “had several drinks,” the officer wrote.

Friske, who was arrested on a warrant this week, has seven past violations of DUI dating back to 1985, according to the indictment.

In 1985, he was convicted of driving under the influence in McHenry County three times, once in 1989 in Cook County, two in 1990 and one in 1993 in McHenry County, according to the indictment.

Friske also has 13 previous convictions for driving with a revoked or suspended license, according to the indictment.

As of Friday, Friske had no lawyer listed in the case. He would need to post $15,000 of his bond in order to be released from county jail.