A Cook County Official Accused of DUI Crash Tries to Flee the Scene, 911 Caller Says

A 911 Caller Describes the Incident

A Cook County elected official tried to flee the scene of a crash she allegedly caused while driving drunk last month in Andersonville, according to a 911 caller who told a dispatcher the driver was clearly intoxicated.

Samantha Steele, a Democratic member of the Cook County Board of Review, is facing a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence following the November 11 crash in the 5000 block of North Ashland Avenue.

The Incident

No one was injured in the collision, but two parked cars were damaged, and Steele’s Honda was left inoperable. Still, she allegedly tried to take off before police arrived at the scene.

“She’s trying to turn her wheels and escape, but her car is messed up. She’s not going anywhere. She’s been talking about she doesn’t want to deal with this,” Dylan Roh told a 911 dispatcher, describing Steele as “drunk” and “messed up.”

A 911 Call and a Witness’s Account

In an interview, Roh and his partner Eli Montemayor recalled they were preparing to put their child to sleep when they heard the crash, ran to their window, and realized their car had been struck. Montemayor, who uses they/them pronouns, said they rushed outside and found Steele sitting in her car.

Immediately, it was really clear to me that she was under the influence of something. Her eyes were kind of like rolling back into her head and … there was a really long delay between her answers to me, like it looked like my words weren’t really landing.”

Montemayor said Steele eventually indicated she wanted to leave after Montemayor tried to swap insurance information. “She was like, ‘I don’t really want to deal with this. Can I go?’” Montemayor recalled.

The Attempt to Flee

A short time later, Montemayor and Roh said they separately witnessed Steele turning her car’s steering wheel in what they viewed as attempts to flee. Roh said he saw Steele’s Honda “jerk” forward about 2 feet, but the serious damage to her car likely prevented her from driving away.

Police Response and Steele’s Behavior

When police responded to Roh’s call, Steele made sure the officers knew she was a politician.

One officer told her, “Ma’am, if you don’t exit the vehicle. … I’m going to help you to exit, and you don’t want that.”

“You don’t want that! I’m an elected official,” Steele allegedly shot back.

Elected official of what?” the officer asked.

Cook County,” Steele told him.

When the officer asked for her name, Steele held out her hand and said, “I’m Sam.”

The cop replied, “Sam who?” But Steele did not give the police her full name at that point.

Despite several requests, Steele would not initially provide officers with her driver’s license or get out of the car.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, she drank from what seemed to be a water bottle and used her cellphone to call the person she described many times as her attorney — Democratic Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton of Glenview. She gave only her driver’s license to police and left the car after Britton advised her over the phone to do so.

Conclusion

The incident has raised concerns about Steele’s fitness for office, and calls for her resignation have been growing. As a member of the Cook County Board of Review, Steele has the power to rule on property tax appeals, effectively reducing tax bills for residents in her district. Her actions on the night of the incident have sparked widespread outrage and disappointment.

FAQs

* What charges has Samantha Steele faced as a result of the incident?
+ She has been charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI).
* What was the outcome of her court appearance?
+ Her initial court appearance is set for December 27.
* Who is representing her in her case?
+ She has hired an attorney, John Fotopoulos, who has filed a motion to reinstate her driver’s license, which was suspended after the crash.
* What is the current status of her position on the Cook County Board of Review?
+ She continues to serve on the board, despite calls for her resignation.