DUI driver gets 7 years for hitting Chicago cop, crashing with officer clinging to hood – CWB Chicago

A Chicago man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a DUI incident where he collided with a police officer before crashing into a light pole, all while the officer was on the hood of his speeding vehicle.

Jose Ruiz Crespin, 23, entered a guilty plea last Friday in a case that stemmed from an incident on March 8, where police were called to a noisy party on North Lamon Avenue.

Officers had cleared the gathering and were monitoring the area when Crespin got in his BMW 325i, backed into one parked car, and then crashed into another. In an alarming turn of events, as a uniformed officer approached, Crespin accelerated and hit him.

The collision thrust the officer onto the hood of the car, which sped away and subsequently crashed into a light pole. The force of the crash was so severe that it lifted the passenger side tires off the ground, according to prosecutors.

The officer was thrown from the hood, leading to injuries that included a broken ankle and loss of his firearm from its holster.

While Crespin refused medical attention at the scene, he was taken to a hospital where it was reported that he “fell asleep and could not be awakened.” A blood test later revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .2466—over three times the legal limit.

Initially indicted on 11 felony charges, including three counts of attempted murder, Crespin ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated battery of a peace officer and aggravated DUI resulting in bodily injury. Judge Neera Walsh ordered a seven-year sentence for the DUI and six years concurrent for the battery charge, with the possibility of early release for good behavior.

Prosecutors highlighted Crespin’s prior involvement in a 2024 crash causing personal injury and a separate conviction for speeding.