I posted a news article yesterday about a prosecutor whose DUI arrest was dismissed by the Cook County (Illinois) State’s Attorney. Here’s another story reported a day earlier (January 17, 2005) about a DUI police officer, also arrested for drunk driving in Cook County (a felony this time), whose license was never suspended.

He was an award-winning police officer, honored for arresting drunk drivers. But now a former police officer is facing his own drunk driving charges after causing a serious crash. He was arrested, but his license was never suspended. The woman badly injured by the off-duty officer wants to know why.

With every movement pain shoots through Theresa Adkins Mcarthur’s body. "I shattered my right hip and my right leg was almost cut off," said Mcarthur. It’s been two-and-a-half years since she was nearly killed in an accident. Her jaw, leg and arm were broken. Her pelvis was crushed. She’s endured 10 surgeries. The 31-year-old mother of twin daughters still spends hours every week rehabbing, and walks with a cane. "I wake up ever single day in pain,’ says Mcarthur, ‘look at all the scars I have. It is a constant reminder of what he did that night."…..

Nicholson, who was one of the top DUI Enforcement Officers in Rolling Meadows, was charged with a felony for driving drunk. So, would the award-winning drunk driving enforcer lose his license? That’s what typically happens, but not in his case. Nicholson’s license was never suspended. In fact our CBS 2 investigative team uncovered court records showing the Cook County state’s attorney’s office gave the cop a pass.

A state’s attorney spokesman says they’re now are looking into why they didn’t move to have his license suspended. Having a license helped Nicholson stay on the job. Rolling Meadows police chief says Nicholson was suspended for 90 days. After that the chief says, he went back to patrolling the streets because the town couldn’t afford to pay his salary and put him on desk duty.

According to Charlene Chapman, the executive director of AAIM the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, Nicholson should not have been allowed back on the road. "We have a man who has already caused a crash,’ says Chapman, ‘caused grave injuries, and he’s still driving, and especially a police car. That tells the public that police officers have special privileges,’ said Chapman, ‘and that should not be true."