Boozing Before Driving Gets Prom Night Limo Driver a DUI Conviction

A 55-year-old Palos Hills man who police said was intoxicated when he drove nearly two dozen suburban high school students to their prom in Glen Ellyn has entered a guilty plea to a DUI charge, prosecutors said Thursday. 

Richard Madison, the former limousine driver, was sentenced Thursday to 60 days in the DuPage County Jail on one count of driving while under the influence of alcohol. 

Madison also has been ordered to serve two years of probation, perform 100 hours of public service employment, receive counseling as deemed appropriate and pay a fine of $500 plus court costs. While on probation, Madison will be required to wear an alcohol monitoring device and must attend two self-help meetings each week. 

Madison was charged with DUI after police said he was intoxicated when he drove 23 Oswego High School students to Abbington Banquets in Glen Ellyn about 7 p.m. on May 11. The students became alarmed by his reckless driving and contacted their parents, according to a DuPage County State's Attorney's Office press release. 

Because of Madison's case, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said "the Illinois legislature last session voted to enhance the penalty for DUI while transporting others for hire from a misdemeanor to a felony," according to the news release. 

"I would like to applaud the students in this case for noticing something was wrong with Mr. Madison and for doing the right thing. If not for their actions, what was supposed to be a night of fun and excitement could have ended in tragedy," Berlin said in the news release. 

Madison will be required to serve 50 percent of his jail sentence before being eligible for parole. He will receive credit for 13 days already spent at the DuPage County Jail.