The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office is set to work with the county’s police agencies on a no refusal initiative to prevent people from driving under the influence the night before Thanksgiving, officials announced.
The no-refusal operation is designed to help police obtain a search warrant for those who refuse to take a chemical test after a DUI arrest, according to a news release from the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Assistant state’s attorneys will be available to help police officers through the search warrant process to force a DUI suspect to take a requested blood, breath or urine test as required by state law, the release stated.
Officials said in the release that Illinois courts have held that a person does not have a right to refuse chemical testing when there is probable cause.
Those who decline chemical testing after being presented with a search warrant can expect to face additional charges, according to the release.
The operation, which is the 37th since the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office began the program in 2008, will start at 11 p.m. on Wednesday and end at 3 a.m. on Thursday, the release stated.
“The night before Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for friends to celebrate being together. We don’t wish to discourage that, but when a person decides to drink to excess and get behind the wheel of a car, it places everyone at risk,” Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said in the release.
Officials reminded Kane County residents that designated drivers, taxis and rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are good options for getting home responsibly.