'Vindicated': Cook County official Samantha Steele reacts to not guilty DUI verdict

CHICAGO - Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele says she feels relieved and "vindicated" after being found not guilty in her DUI case.

Steele spoke with ChicagoLIVE’s Anita Blanton one day after a judge acquitted her of misdemeanor DUI charges tied to a 2024 crash in Ravenswood.

Steele reacts to not guilty DUI verdict

What they're saying:

When asked what went through her mind when she heard the not guilty verdict, Steele said her "heart" was pounding.

"There’s this sense of relief, right? It just falls off of you because you’ve been vindicated," Steele said. "It was a good feeling."

Steele said the case has taken a heavy toll on her and her family, saying she received death threats after body camera video from the arrest became public.

"It was an awful experience," Steele said. "The last year and a half, I mean, I’ve said this before, I received death threats from people. People threatened my family."

Steele also addressed the body camera video in which she told an officer, "I’m an elected official."

"I regret saying it, absolutely," Steele said. "But the intent wasn’t, ‘I’m a public figure, I should be treated differently.’ The intent was, ‘I’m a public figure. I know my rights.’"

Steele said she was "disoriented" and "shaken up" after the crash and repeatedly asked for medical attention.

Details from the 2024 Ravenswood crash case

Police said officers responding to the Nov. 10, 2024, crash near 5028 N. Ashland Ave. found two vehicles with significant front-end damage.

An arrest report stated officers observed an open bottle of red wine inside Steele’s vehicle and noted signs of impairment, including bloodshot, glassy eyes and the odor of alcohol.

Steele disputes DUI allegations, explains her account

Steele disputed parts of that account during the interview, saying the first two officers on scene testified that they did not smell alcohol on her.

"No one smelled alcohol until they found the bottle of wine in my car," Steele said.

Steele said she refused a field sobriety test, calling it her constitutional right. She also said no blood draw was done at the hospital.

"If they really thought I was drunk, they would have pulled my blood at the hospital, and they did not do that," Steele said.

Steele also said she did not drink alcohol that night, saying the bottle of wine was from brunch earlier in the day.

The backstory:

Steele was arrested at a hospital after the crash. Police said she refused to answer questions about how much she had been drinking and asked for her lawyer.

During the interview, Steele said she believes the crash was tied to a medical issue. She said she had a pituitary tumor that was affecting her optic nerve and later had it removed.

"I had a pituitary tumor, which is why I had the accident," Steele said. "People just assumed the worst."

The other side:

Blanton read a statement from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, which said prosecutors "follow the evidence and the law regardless of a person’s status" and believed the facts and evidence supported the charge.

The office also said field sobriety and lab tests are not required under the law to find someone guilty of DUI.

Steele pushed back on the statement, saying she believes prosecutors "did not follow the law" and accusing them of overreach.

Steele says case impacted reelection campaign, looks ahead

What's next:

Steele said she believes the case hurt her politically and contributed to her losing reelection.

"It definitely was this case," Steele said. "It was a viral case."

When asked if she is done with politics, Steele said she is not ruling anything out.

"I never say never," Steele said. "Maybe one day. I’m glad for a little break. I’d like to be my own person again."

Steele said she is grateful for the verdict and ready to move forward.

"I’m obviously grateful for the not guilty verdict," Steele said. "I’m just ready for this next chapter in my life."

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