Royko charged with drunk driving and resisting arrest p. 13

By: Mark Fitzgerald

CHICAGO TRIBUNE COLUMNIST Mike Royko was charged with drunk driving and resisting arrest after he was involved in a traffic accident Saturday afternoon Dec. 17 in the tony suburb of Winnetka, Ill.
Winnetka police said the 62-year-old, Pulitzer Prize winner scuffled with officers at the scene of the accident. Royko was handcuffed and put in the back of a patrol car, a police spokesman said.
According to the police account, Royko was driving his 1994 Lincoln Continental in his suburban hometown when he collided with a 1988 Chevrolet Citation in an intersection.
Officers at the scene suspected Royko was drinking, Winnetka police said.
Both drivers suffered minor injuries, but Royko refused medical attention.
The other driver, 42-year-old Bruce W. McKittrick of Narbeth, Pa., was not cited in the incident. He was treated at nearby Evanston hospital and released, police said.
Police declined to say if a Breathalyzer test had been administered to Royko or what his blood-alcohol level had been.
Royko, who moved to the North Shore suburb a few years ago, was charged with driving under the influence and resisting arrest.
Each of these misdemeanors carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
In addition, Royko was cited for failure to yield turning left, driving without proof of insurance, and driving with an expired car registration. All are misdemeanors.
Royko was released from police custody after posting 10% of a $1,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Cook County Circuit Court in Skokie, Jan. 23.
Royko, who was on vacation at the time of his arrest, could not be reached for comment.
Tribune spokesman Jeffrey Bierig said in a statement: "This is a serious matter, but it is a personal one for Mr. Royko. The Chicago Tribune will provide whatever assistance it can to Mr. Royko."