School Bus Driver Charged With DUI

Peter Stratigakis, 54, of Harwood Heights was charged with DUI Thursday about 3:20 p.m. near the intersection of Touhy and Central in Niles. A Niles police officer was conducting an unrelated traffic stop and Stratigakis pulled his school bus behind the officer, got out, approached the officer and asked for directions to a nearby school.

The officer noticed the odor of alcohol on Stratigakis' breath and told him to wait on the school bus until he finished the other investigation. Stratigakis had the vehicle's engine running, although he had no passengers, when the officer came over to talk to him.

Stratigakis was attempting to use the vehicle's two-way radio to talk to someone but was unable to make it work. Police later learned it was inoperable. The officer asked Stratigakis if he had had anything to drink before operating the school bus, and, according to police, he replied he had had one beer that morning.

Stratigakis showed impairment on field sobriety tests. His court date is Dec. 21 at the Skokie branch of the Cook County courts.

Woman charged with driving on suspended license

Dawn Ruzicka, 31, of Park Ridge was charged with driving with a suspended driver's license Friday at about 8:30 a.m. Niles police said they observed her driving 50 mph in a 30 mph zone in the 6700 block of Howard Street, Niles. After conducting a traffic stop, a check of the Secretary of State database showed her driver's license had been suspended. Her court date is Dec. 21 in Skokie.

Information is taken from reports.

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