By HOI ABC
BLOOMINGTON – District 87 School Board member Fitzgerald Samedy is free on bond following his arrest last weekend for drunken driving on Bloomington’s east side.
DUI charges were upgraded to felonies because he’s a repeat offender and his driver’s license had been revoked, according to court documents.
Saturday evening, Bloomington Police said they were called to a report of a disturbance on South Evergreen Lane. Samedy reportedly got out of his car and officers said they smelled alcohol. Police also said Samedy’s speech was slurred and he had glassy eyes.
The obstruction of justice charge alleges that Samedy refused to take a breathalyzer test even though authorities obtained a search warrant requiring him to do so.
Court records say Samedy has a pair of Cook County DUI convictions from 2009 and 2016 and was caught driving twice with a revoked license in McLean County, in 2019 and 2021.
Samedy faces three-to-seven years in prison if found guilty of the most serious offense, but he could also get probation or conditional discharge.
Samedy posted a $1,000 cash bond on Tuesday and was released from the McLean County Jail. His arraignment is scheduled for May 27.
Meantime, Samedy remains on the school board, said District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly.
The superintendent said Samedy informed his assistant that a family emergency is preventing him from attending Tuesday night’s special board meeting to interview candidates for a board vacancy, and Wednesday’s regularly scheduled board meeting.
Samedy was elected to the school board in 2021. He did not respond to requests for comment about the criminal case.
