FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on May 20, 2026, Kathie L. Zaremba, 62, of Marengo, Illinois, was sentenced to 12½ years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence. Zaremba was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Mark Gerhardt after entering a plea of guilty.

The charges stem from a dangerous crash that occurred on January 4, 2026, at approximately 7:20 p.m. Members of the Marengo Fire Department observed a yellow Hummer cross into oncoming traffic, veer into a ditch, and strike a water shut-off pipe before finally coming to rest in the parking lot of Taco Bell.

Responding Marengo Police Officer Rzotkiewicz contacted the driver, later determined to be Zaremba, at the scene and immediately detected a strong odor of alcohol. The officer observed that Zaremba had red, glossy eyes and slurred speech. During the DUI investigation, Zaremba displayed multiple signs of impairment and was taken into custody for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. Pursuant to a search warrant obtained by Officer Rzotkiewicz, Zaremba’s blood was drawn and later analyzed, revealing a blood alcohol concentration of .150 — nearly twice the legal limit. Investigators also determined that Zaremba had at least five prior DUI convictions. In March of 2026, she was sentenced to seven years in prison in connection with another DUI case.

Under Illinois law, a sixth DUI offense is classified as a Class X felony and carries a sentencing range of six to thirty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Following her release from prison, Zaremba will be placed on Mandatory Supervised Release for a period of three years.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese stated: “Enough is enough. Over and over again, this person continued to endanger innocent people on our roadways. Despite multiple prior DUI convictions, prior accidents, Ms. Zaremba continued to drive drunk. This sentence reflects my office’s steadfast commitment to holding repeat DUI offenders accountable and protecting the safety of the public.”

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Desiree Sierens. 

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