Twice-convicted heroin dealer charged with threatening West Dundee cops after felony DUI arrest

A twice-convicted heroin dealer has been arrested and charged with felony DUI and threatening two West Dundee police officers who arrested him early Sunday morning.

Anthony J. Galarza, 25, of the 100 block of Seneca Street in Elgin, was on parole after a March prison release at the time he was arrested, according to West Dundee Police, court and prison records.

The DUI arrest was prompted after a woman flagged down police officers about 2:48 a.m. She said a vehicle nearly struck hers and she thought the other driver might be intoxicated, according to police.

Officers followed the vehicle as it headed east on Route 72, saw multiple lane-use violations and made a traffic stop in the parking lot of the Dundee Animal Hospital in East Dundee. Officers spoke to the driver, Galarza, and determined he was impaired and arrested him, police said.

At the police station, authorities learned Galarza's license was revoked because of a previous DUI in April 2013. He was charged with two counts of threatening a public official, driving while license revoked, and other traffic offenses, according to police and court records.

West Dundee Police Chief Anthony Gorski declined to specify what Galarza said to the officers to warrant the felony charges. "People say stuff all the time (when arrested). This rose to the level where the officer took it seriously," Gorski said.

According to court records, police arrested Galarza in August 2013 on charges of selling heroin near a school or park, a felony that carries a minimum six years in prison. Galarza pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and was sentenced to six years in prison with a recommendation he be enrolled in a four-month boot camp instead.

He completed the boot camp, but was arrested in November 2014 -- again for selling heroin near a school or park. This time, he was sentenced to eight years in prison, served half his sentence and was paroled in March 2019, records show.

Galarza is held at the Kane County jail on $100,000 bail, meaning he must post $10,000 to be released while the case is pending.

He is next due in court Nov. 22. He faces a sentence ranging from probation to up to five years in prison if convicted on the threat charge.