Articles Posted in Traffic Accident

Marquis Harris, 18, pled guilty to first-degree murder in the DUI-related death of Marciea Adkins. Harris was sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison for killing Adkins, 42, a Chicago police dispatcher.

According to police, Harrison left a party around 6 a.m. on July 10, 2011 when he reportedly observed a driver leave a Range Rover idling while paying a parking meter on West North Avenue. Prosecutors say that while high on ecstasy, marijuana and vodka, Harrison jumped into the vehicle and took off. A police officer pulled Harrison over after seeing the vehicle run a red light, but the driver allegedly backed into the officer’s squad car almost striking two officers before driving away.

Harrison allegedly tried to evade officers through Bucktown before running a stop sign and striking Adkins’ vehicle. He reportedly ran from the crash but was arrested a few blocks from the scene. Adkins was on her way home from her overnight shift as a Chicago police dispatcher.

Matthew Dyer, 20, of Frankfort, was tased by a Tinley Park Police officer after a DUI arrest where he reportedly attempted to get out of his handcuffs and kick the arresting officers. On September 26, Dyer’s vehicle ran off the road and hit a light pole at the Harlem Avenue exit ramp of eastbound I-80. The Tinley Park Police, Fire Department, Illinois State Police all responded to the accident. Dyer refused medical treatment and after conducting a DUI investigation, he was placed under arrest by the state troopers who decided to transport Dyer to the Tinley Park Police Department.

According to the police report, during the transport, the state trooper pulled into a gas station because Dyer “had manipulated his handcuffs from the rear of his body to the front” and posed a safety risk. Dyer then began hitting the patrol car’s plexiglass divider and threatened the trooper. Once removed from the vehicle, officers attempted to re-secure the handcuffs but Dyer allegedly began kicking the troopers. At that point, a Tinley Park officer reportedly tased Dyer in the lower back.

Dyer was eventually booked into Will County Jail before being released on a $5,000 bond. He is charged with driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, resisting a peace officer, and possession of less than 2.5 grams of marijuana. The possession charge was later dropped.

Anthony Cechini, 23, of Round Lake is charged with felony DUI in a fatal Fox Lake crash. At approximately 4 p.m. on Saturday, Cechini was allegedly driving in a Subaru when it left the road and hit a tree. David Letchinger, Jr., 21, of McHenry, the front passenger, was ejected from the vehicle. He was airlifted to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where he was later pronounced dead due to severe head trauma. A second unnamed passenger remains at the same hospital with injuries, although reportedly not life-threatening.

Cechini appeared in bond court on crutches with a broken wrist. It was stated that Cechini allegedly fled the scene after the crash but was detained almost immediately after. He is charged with aggravated DUI involving death and aggravated DUI involving great bodily harm. Cechini is now being held on a $500,000 bond and due back in court on Thursday for preliminary hearing.

Round Lake man charged in Fox Lake crash that killed passenger, www.dailyherald.com, October 1, 2012

Luis Romo, 18, was charged with driving under the influence after a crash that took place early Sunday morning in Elgin. According to police, Romo ran a stop sign and hit a SUV carrying three men around 1 a.m. Romo’s pickup truck reportedly pushed the SUV into a parked car. The crash had such force that the floor fell from the chassis. Romo’s truck ran up on the sidewalk and took out about 100 feet of chain-link fencing. The fence poles went through the truck’s hood, windshield, engine compartment and the floor of the vehicle. The jaws of life were used to remove all four people from their vehicles. Romo as well as the three occupants of the SUV were taken to nearby hospitals. Although severe, none of the injuries were reportedly life threatening.

Romo was charged with two felony counts of DUI, operating an unisured motor vehicle while causing bodily harm and with a stop sign violation. According to police, Romo had a BAC of 0.17, which is more than twice the legal limit.

3 hurt, 1 charged with DUI in Elgin crash, www.chicagotribune.com, September 24, 2012

Pavlo Lulak, 24, of Chicago is charged with aggravated driving under the influence after a passenger in his vehicle died when he allegedly lost control and crashed on the Kennedy Expressway this past weekend. Police claim Lulak’s BAC was almost three times the legal limit of .08. His passenger, Maryana Holovii, 23, of Medinah was killed in the accident.

At approximately 4:20 a.m. on Sunday, Lulak allegedly hit two vehicles in the northbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway near Armitage Avenue. His vehicle reportedly hit a barrier, shot back into traffic and hit two other vehicles. An SUV involved in the accident veered down an off-ramp and hit a wall.

According to the police report, the victim was one of seven passengers in the car, many of them were sitting on the laps of other passengers. She was pronounced dead at 6:45 a.m. at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. None of the other injuries were serious according the the Illinois State Police.

Heidi Roseen, 51, of Lockport was the victim of a fatal crash early Sunday morning with a suspected drunk driver. Roseen, a nurse at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, was on her way to work when her vehcile was struck by a pick up truck. The driver, 25-year-old man, Matthew Senica, from Orland Park, is charged with DUI in connection with the crash.

Senica’s vehicle was allegedly traveling at least 60 mph when he ran a red light at the intersection of 95th Street and La Grange Road. He allegedly told authorities that he had been drinking since 5 p.m. on Saturday in Chicago. Senica was questioned at the sheriff’s police Maywood headquarters and charges were evaluated by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Felony Review Unit. He was taken into custody after being treated for minor injuries.

Orland Park man charged with DUI in crash that killed nurse, www.suntimes.com, July 9, 2012

Andy Darrell Taylor, 28, of Chicago, was charged with DUI after allegedly sideswiping a party bus on the Eisenhower Expressway. Around 2:30AM, the SUV hit the left side of the bus and rolled over, injuring four people in that vehicle and fifteen on the party bus. Luckily, most of the injuries were minor but one person reportedly sustained a broken leg. According to some passengers, the occupants of the bus were celebrating the birthday of a family member who had passed away. Many of the passengers were reportedly standing, dancing and drinking when the collision occurred.

According to Illinois State Police, in addition to driving under the influence, Taylor was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, improper lane usage, failure to signal, driver’s license not on person, and no valid insurance. The driver of the bus was charged with no valid insurance, suspended vehicle registration, and overloading a bus.

Driver charged with DUI after SUV sideswipes ‘party bus’ on Eisenhower, www.chicagotribune.com, June 19, 2012

Gustavo Pichardo, 20, of Chicago was charged with four felony counts of aggravated DUI resulting in death on Monday after a fatal crash that killed four passengers. According to court recrords, at approximately 1 a.m. on Saturday, Pirchardo disobeyed a red light at an intersection on the Southwest Side. A semi-trailer truck passed through the intersection and Pichardo allegedly honked his horn at the driver before wrapping his vehicle around a traffic light pole on the other side of the intersection at Kedzie and 31st Street. All six occupants of the vehicle were ejected and Pichardo’s SUV caught fire. Only Pichardo and one 23 year-old male passenger, listed in critical condition, survived the crash. Three woman and a man died in the crash.

According to prosecutors, blood tests revealed the presence of cannabis in Pichardo’s system. Prosecutors also say that Pichardo admitted he was the driver. There is still questions as to whether the truck and SUV came into contact or if Pichardo has swerved to avoid a collision. Aside from the felony counts, he is also charged with disobeying a red light, transportation of alcohol, and failure to reduce speed.

Driver charged with felony DUI in crash that killed 4, www. chicagotribune.com, May 21, 2012

Grayslake police chief, Matt McCutcheon, was charged with DUI in Wisconsin. The charges came about after his involvement in a car accident while returning from a restaurant just over the state line with his wife. McCutcheon was turning onto Route 46 in Silver Lake when he allegedly struck a car on the highway around 10 p.m. on March 30, 2012. No one was injured in either vehicle.

McCutcheon was found by responding officers standing on the road when they arrived. The officers reported he appeared “dazed and confused.” McCutcheon was allegedly swaying and almost lost his balance as he pulled out his wallet, and showed his badge. McCutcheon lifted up his shirt and revealed to officers he was carrying a 9mm handgun with seven rounds in it, one of them in the chamber. Kenosha County deputy, William Soppe, reportedly could smell a strong odor of intoxicants coming from his breath. McCutcheons speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and very glossy. McCutcheon told officers he had a few beers with dinner. However, he and his wife later admitted he had three vodka martinis.

Witnesses claim McCutcheon had been driving erratically before the accident, they could hear the tires of his car squeal as he made a sharp turn onto the highway. Another witness stated “the driver of the Honda was speeding up and slowing down multiple times.” Other witnesses said “it appeared the Honda made a last-minute decision to make the turn.”

A party in the Gresham neighborhood over the weekend reportedly ended with a fight in the street. Denise Carter, of Chicago, allegedly jumped in her car, pulled a U-Turn, accelerated, and drove straight into the crowd that had gathered. The impact broke a woman’s shoulder and knee according to prosecutors, the rest of the group was able to get out of the way.

Carter’s BAC content allegedly registered .175 percent when she was arrested early Saturday morning. She was held on a $125,000 bond early Sunday morning by a Cook County judge. She is charged with aggravated DUI along with various traffic offenses. Carter already has a driving under the influence case pending against her from an incident in August.

Carter allegedly told officers that she was trying to escape the fight when the injured woman jumped in front of her vehicle. She was pulled from her vehicle and attacked by bystanders after the crash according to police.