Illinois Judges Will Remain On Bench

BELLEVILLE, Ill. - Two St. Clair County judges will remain on the bench after answering questions from a Judicial Review Board in Chicago about their involvement in a drunk driving incident in December 2006. Jan V. Fiss, 65, and Patrick M. Young, 59, apologized and were reprimanded by the board, but will stay on the bench.

The judges will receive their salaries and their pensions when they retire.

The two judges went to a bar after attending a Rams game. After leaving the bar, Patrick's vehicle crossed the center line and struck a pickup truck head-on. The driver of the pickup suffered a broken leg.

Police say they saw Fiss try to hide a beer can at the scene.

Young was charged with driving under the influence and was found guilty.

Fiss pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal transportation of alcohol.

The board could have censured, suspended the judges without pay, removed them from office or not penalized them at all.

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