Dupage Policy Journal

Lisle Township Supervisor Diane Hewitt was arrested on Nov. 1 and charged with misdemeanor Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. The arrest came following a report of erratic driving in Warrenville, as noted by local police.

“Embattled Lisle Township Supervisor Diane Hewitt was arrested by Warrenville Police Department and later charged with misdemeanor Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol,” the Edgar County Watchdogs noted on Facebook.

The Daily Herald reports, that on Nov. 1, at 9:53 p.m., Hewitt was cited for erratic driving in Warrenville, as reported by Warrenville police records.

The incident began when a 911 call reported a car weaving and hitting a curb on Roosevelt Road in Wheaton, near County Farm Road. Subsequently, police located the vehicle on Butterfield Road near Madison Road in Warrenville. Hewitt, when questioned, claimed she was heading home to Lisle from Glendale Heights after a "work event," but police allege she failed two field sobriety tests and showed signs of impairment, as seen in police dashboard camera videos. The report does not provide a blood-alcohol level as Hewitt failed to give a sample for the breath test. She mentioned having one glass of wine, and a bottle of wine was found in her purse, though the report doesn’t specify if it was open. 

Released on her own recognizance,  Hewitt is scheduled for a court appearance on Nov. 29.

Prior to this incident, Hewitt's conduct had already drawn criticism within her political community. In August Hewitt was subjected to a unanimous "vote of no confidence" by the Lisle Township Board of Trustees.

She was requested to resign from the Lisle Township Democratic Organization (LTDO) following the vote, according to a previous report from DuPage Policy Journal.

Hewitt, who also chairs the LTDO and holds a leadership role in Indivisible DuPage, faces allegations of financial misdeeds, including overpayments to herself and a significant other, which she disputes.

The LTDO issued a statement expressing concerns about potential reputational harm and called for the LTDO Vice Chair to assume the leadership position. Lisle Township trustees passed a formal resolution highlighting various accusations against Hewitt, including unapproved spending decisions, a disruptive work environment causing resignations, and verbal attacks on staff and board members.

This incident marks another blow to local Democrats facing similar charges. Hewitt’s arrest comes on the heels of another prominent Democrat, freshman State Rep. Matt Hanson (D-Montgomery), being arrested for a DUI in Kane County, according to Kane County Reporter.