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OFFICE OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEY
LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
MICHAEL G. NERHEIM
STATE'S ATTORNEY
December 16, 2019
For Immediate Release
Contact: Lee Filas
(847) 377-3141 – office
(847) 707-6479 – cell
lfilas@lakecountyil.gov
Man receives 6 years in prison after pleading guilty to 26th charge of driving while license revoked
(Lake County, IL) Lake County State's Attorney Michael G. announced Monday that a Round Lake Beach man was sentenced to 6 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to his 26th charge of driving while his license is revoked.
Steven Knutson, 62, of the 100 block of South Channel Drive, was additionally ordered to spend two years on mandatory supervised release following when his prison sentence ends. Following the brief court appearance in front of Associate Judge Charles Johnson Monday morning, Knutson remanded himself over to the courtroom deputy to begin fulfilling his prison sentence.
"It's a shame that it had to come to this point for Mr. Knutson to understand that driving is a privilege, not a right," State's Attorney Nerheim said. "I commend the Round Lake Beach Police, their village attorneys, and attorneys from the Lake County State's Attorney's Office for doing what is necessary to ensure Mr. Knutson no longer gets behind the wheel of an automobile."
Knutson could have been sentenced from 3 years to 7 years if he was found guilty of driving on a revoked license at trial.
A police officer from Round Lake Beach was in the 100 block of Rollins Road when he witnessed a Chevy pickup hit a parked car at about 4 p.m. on March 11. The officer initiated a traffic stop and issued a citation to Knutson for driving on a revoked license.
During a follow up investigation by the Round Lake Beach village attorneys, it was discovered the Illinois Secretary of State's Office had revoked Knutson's drivers license for life due to a previous charge of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol in 2010 and several previous offenses of driving on a revoked license.
During the investigation, attorneys discovered Knutson received offenses of driving while his license was revoked 16 times in Cook County, 4 times in Winnebago County, and 3 times in Kane and Lake counties. Of the 26 total offenses, Knutson was convicted 24 times. The most recent 2019 charge and a charge in Fox Lake in 2018 remain pending.
Knutson's record also shows that 24 of the 26 revocation charges took place between 1982 and 2004.
On Monday, Knutson was ordered to pay $362.60 in restitution to the owner of the vehicle that Knutson hit and damaged on March 11. He also received 7 days credit for time he previously served in Lake County Jail prior to pleading guilty.
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Lake County State's Attorney's Office 18 N. County Street Waukegan, IL 60085 Phone: (847) 377-3000
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