Ottawa judge issues public statement about his DUI arrest

Circuit Judge Joe Hettel has issued a statement following his drunken driving arrest.

Hettel says “as a judge I have an ethical responsibility to respect and comply with the law and to conduct myself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence.” He says his DUI arrest calls into question his compliance with those ethical obligations.

Hettel says he has reached out to the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board and expects they’ll start investigating. He says he’ll comment more when his traffic case has concluded.