A police report says that a McHenry County judge allegedly caught driving his motorcycle at 93 mph was ejected and injured after crashing the vehicle as a sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop him.
The incident happened around 10:10 a.m. on June 9 near Route 47 and Vanderkarr Road in unincorporated Hebron.
A McHenry County sheriff’s deputy on patrol clocked a motorcycle traveling at 93 mph, more than 35 miles per hour over the posted 55 mph speed limit, court records show.
A crash report obtained by Lake and McHenry County Scanner on Monday showed the sheriff’s deputy was attempting to pull over the 2022 Harley Davidson motorcycle on northbound Route 47 south of Vanderkarr Road.
The report said the driver of the Harley Davidson attempted to slow down to stop while on the curve northbound Route 47 at Vanderkarr Road.
The driver locked up the rear brakes, went off the roadway north of the intersection on the east side and the motorcycle rolled onto its side, the report said.
The driver was identified as Jeffrey L. Hirsch, 55, of Woodstock, court records show.
Hirsch is a McHenry County associate judge who was appointed to the position in October 2015.
The report said Hirsch was ejected from the motorcycle in the crash.
The sheriff’s deputy reported that Hirsch was complaining of left-side pain and requested the fire department to the scene.
Hirsch, who was conscious and breathing, was transported by ambulance to Mercyhealth Hospital in Harvard with non-life-threatening injuries.
Northbound Route 47 was temporarily shut down until a tow truck could remove the motorcycle from the scene. The vehicle had sustained disabling damage, the report said.
Hirsch was charged with one count of speeding over 35 mph over the limit, a Class A misdemeanor.
Hirsch told deputies he was unable to maintain being on the roadway when he attempted to slow down, at which time he crashed, according to the report.
Court records show Hirsch filed a request to suppress his personal information in the case pursuant to the Judicial Privacy Act.
The document requested that the McHenry County Circuit Court clerk and McHenry County sheriff refrain from publicly posting or displaying on the internet any of Hirsch’s personal information and to remove any personal information within 72 hours.
“Failure to comply with this request or a violation of the Judicial Privacy Act may result in a legal action against you for injunctive or declaratory relief in any court of competent jurisdiction and may include the obligation to pay the judicial officer’s costs and reasonable attorney’s fees,” Hirsch said in the request.
The Illinois Supreme Court, following a request from McHenry County Chief Judge Michael Chmiel, ordered that another judge from the Kane County Circuit Court be appointed to the McHenry County case.
Kane County Judge Julio Valdez was appointed to the case.
Hirsch’s first court hearing was on June 24 and he appeared via Zoom. The case was continued to August 2 for a plea hearing.