Joliet Township supervisor facing uncovered 3rd DUI violation in 5-count felony indictment

Indictment filed following Angel Contreras’ June 19 arrest

Angel Contreras

Joliet — A five-count indictment filed against a Joliet Township supervisor alleged he’s facing his third driving under the influence offense since 2008.

The indictment filed against Angel Contreras, 36, on Thursday also alleged he was driving on a revoked license on June 19 after he was twice convicted of driving on a revoked license in Will and DuPage counties.

Altogether, the grand jury indicted Contreras on four felony charges of aggravated DUI and one felony charge of aggravated driving while license revoked.

The charges were filed in connection with Contreras’ June 19 arrest in Joliet.

Contreras begged police officers to let him ago after they pulled him over and questioned him about his sobriety, according to police body camera video obtained by The Herald-News in a Freedom of Information Act request.

Angel Contreras speaking with two Joliet police officers following a traffic stop on Sunday, June 19, 2022.

During the incident, Contreras mentioned to the officers he was out earlier with Joliet Mayor Robert O’Dekirk, who recommended his appoint to the Joliet Housing Authority board in 2016.

Contreras was serving as vice chairman of the board until the Joliet City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to replace him with Joliet businesswoman Marge Franchini.

Contreras is still serving as supervisor of Joliet Township.

The indictment alleged Contreras is facing his third DUI violation after he was convicted of operating while intoxicated on Feb. 28, 2008 in Mahaska County in Iowa and operating a vehicle while intoxicated on Aug. 15, 2015 Elkhart County in Indiana.

Court records show Contreras pleaded guilty in the Iowa case on Sept. 2, 2008, and pleaded guilty in the Indiana case on Jan. 26, 2016.

The indictment alleged Contreras was driving on a revoked license on June 19 after he already pleaded guilty to driving with license revoked on July 8, 2021, in DuPage County and pleaded guilty to the same offense on Dec. 8, 2020, in Will County, court records show.

Contreras was elected as Joliet Township supervisor after the April 6, 2021, election with 3,244 votes.

Illinois 43rd  District State Senate Candidate Rachel Ventura and Joliet township supervisor Angel Contreras look at the polls during a watch party Tuesday, June 28, 2022 ,at Vella's Tap in Joliet

Contreras was part of a slate of candidates for the township that also included Alicia Morales, Karl Ferrell, Suzanna Ibarra, Cesar Escutia and Raymond Slattery. Morales publicly defended Contreras on Facebook following his arrest by claiming he was “being targeted.”

On June 24, a Will County judge deemed Ferrell ineligible to hold his position as a township trustee because of his past felony convictions.

Contreras previously served on the Joliet Township High School District 204 board.

Research by the National Transportation Safety Administration Research indicates repeat offenders make up 20 to 35 percent of DUI offenders. In addition, up to 1,000 motor vehicle fatalities annually are caused by individuals who were convicted of a DUI in the prior three years.

Federal data also indicates the average drunk driver will operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol 80 times before finally getting arrested and charged with their first DWI. Statistics also show 91% of the drivers operating vehicles at or above a .08% BAC in all of the nation’s fatal accidents had prior convictions for driving while impaired.

That means fewer than 10% of these fatal accidents were first-time offenders.