West Chicago man sentenced to 11 years for DUI hit-and-run involving electric scooter
A West Chicago man was sentenced to eleven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to aggravated driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in serious injuries, according to a July 17 announcement from DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin.
Robert Borchering, 58, appeared before Judge Daniel Guerin, who imposed the sentence following Borchering's plea on April 21 to one count of Aggravated DUI – Great Bodily Harm and one count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Personal Injury or Death. The charges stemmed from a June 21, 2024 incident where Borchering struck a man riding an electric scooter at High Lake Road and Sunset Avenue in unincorporated West Chicago.
Authorities said Borchering had been drinking at North Avenue Pub prior to driving home. He turned his vehicle into the path of the victim’s scooter, hitting him with the front passenger side. The victim landed on Borchering’s windshield and roof before falling off as Borchering continued driving away without stopping or calling for help. Deputies later arrested Borchering at his home; after refusing a breath sample, his blood alcohol content was measured at .171 five-and-a-half hours after the crash. The victim sustained multiple fractures including both legs, cervical vertebrae, right shoulder bones, and several ribs.
Berlin said, “After an afternoon of drinking, Mr. Borchering crashed his car into a man on an electric scooter, severely injuring him. What is particularly upsetting in this case is the fact that after hitting the victim, Mr. Borchering fled the scene without rendering aid or even bothering to call for help. Judge Guerin’s sentence in this case sends a strong message that in DuPage County this type of behavior is unacceptable. We are all thankful that the victim in this case survived and wish him well in his recovery. As I have said countless times before, all drunk driving crashes are 100% avoidable. Simply put, if you have been drinking, do not get behind the wheel of a car.”
Judge Guerin sentenced Borchering to eight years for Aggravated DUI – Great Bodily Harm (to be served at 85%) and three years for Leaving the Scene (to be served at 50%), with sentences running consecutively.
DuPage County has seen significant educational statistics recently: there were over 142,000 students enrolled across its schools with an average student-to-teacher ratio of thirteen-to-one during the 2022-23 school year; teacher absenteeism stood at about thirty-eight percent; York Community High School had high enrollment among white students while Addison Trail High School led among Hispanic students, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Education.