When Skokie police stopped the vehicle driven by Winnetka Village Trustee Jennifer Spinney for erratic driving early Sept. 6, she referred to a meeting she’d recently had with her village’s police chief, according to a police report.
“I just spent an hour with the chief of Winnetka police,” Spinney told the Skokie officer, according to the report. “You guys are making me crazy.”
Authorities in Skokie charged Spinney with driving under the influence of alcohol at about 1:15 a.m. Sept. 6.
Winnetka Police Chief Patrick Kreis confirmed he met with Spinney at 10 a.m. on Sept. 5, the day before her arrest but did not elaborate on their discussion.
Later in the day, Spinney attended a ribbon cutting event in Winnetka hosted by the Chamber of Commerce in which wine was served. Terry Dason, the chamber’s executive director, said Spinney was only at the event for about 20 minutes — from 5:40 p.m. until 6 p.m.
“It has nothing to do with the chamber event,” Dason said of her arrest.
According to the police report, Spinney told the officer that Skokie police have nothing better to do and that she is not a criminal, she is a drunk driver, and that she wanted to go home and “sleep it off.”
A police officer stopped her because she was driving erratically northbound on McCormick Boulevard, according to the report. She was driving 25 mph in a 40 mph zone, the report said. It took nearly a minute for her to pull over as the officer used his squad’s lights, siren and air-horn, the report said.
Spinney refused a Breathalyzer and failed a field sobriety test, according to the report.
She posted bond but was unable to find a ride, so two Skokie officers took her home to Winnetka and watched her go into her house, the report said.
Spinney could not be reached for comment.
Susan Berger is a freelance writer, John P. Huston is a Tribune reporter
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