Articles Posted in Traffic Accident

Five people were taken to hospitals after a crash in the Little Village neighborhood between a truck and an SUV at 1:30 a.m. on July 14th. Both vehicles rolled over on their sides and the driver of the truck, Roberto Curiel, 21, was alleged to be driving under the influence. He was charged with DUI, disobeying a traffic signal, failure to reduce speed, and failure to produce a driver’s license, according to the police department.

Curiel and a 55-year-old man inside the SUV were both considered to be in serious condition, while the three other victims, all women, were said to have been hospitalized for minor injuries or listed in good condition.

Driver cited with DUI in Little Village rollover crash, www.chicagotribune.com, July 14, 2011

Prosecutors allege that Sam Manyfield, 69, of Chicago drove his Jeep Cherokee through a red light at 8:45 a.m. on July 5th, killing 52-year-old Yvonne Williams. Williams was crossing the street in a crosswalk at Ashland Avenue. After striking Williams, Manyfield allegedly continued driving until a Chicago Police vehicle pulled him over.

According to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, when police got Manyfield out of his vehicle, he had trouble standing and an empty bottle of gin fell from his car. When taken to Mercy Hospital, his blood-alcohol content was .316, nearly four times the legal limit. Manyfield was charged with aggravated DUI involving a death, reckless homicide, failure to yield to a pedestrian, driving on a suspended license, driving without insurance, and leaving the scene of an accident. Bail was set at $350,000.

Bail set at $350K for man charged in fatal DUI hit-and-run crash, www.chicagotribune.com, July 7, 2011

On July 3 at 2:53 a.m., a freight train on a Canadian Pacific line was struck by a pickup truck driven by Jeffrey S. Fisher, 39, of Carol Stream. On July 4th, the passenger in the car, Eva Meyers, died from her injuries. Fisher was found to have blood alcohol content of .18 and was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. He was taken to DuPage County Jail and bond was set at $500,000. Fisher is said to have been driving on a suspended driver’s license.

DUI charge filed against man who hit locomotive, www.wgnradio.com, July 11, 2011

Carl T. Raymond, 40, was arrested after he was spotted driving a Chevy Impala while intoxicated into a gate at the Fox River Water Reclamation District on the evening of July 4th. He was charged with unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, damage to state property, trespass to property, trespass to vehicle and driving under the influence.

Raymond allegedly stole the vehicle from the district after finding the keys inside. Police are unsure how he gained entry into the gated water facility.

Raymond was reportedly found wearing only boxer briefs and socks and appeared to be “highly intoxicated.” He repeatedly admitted to officers that the vehicle was not his.

Lidia Zuradzka, of Wheeling, was arrested on June 13 in Northbrook, Illinois for driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, and three counts of endangering the life of a child. Zuradzka was working as a nanny at the time and had three kids in the car. Police say she collided with another vehicle and left the scene of the minor accident. There were no injuries reported.

According to the Cook County Circuit Clerk’s Office, Zuradzka had previously been sentenced to one-year in jail in 2006 after she was convicted of criminal trespassing. She served four months and was released this past March and placed on parole.

Nanny Charged With DUI, Child Endangerment, www.northbrook.patch.com, June 20, 2011

Drew Forquer, a former dentist, was arrested for his fifth DUI in August of 2008. He was involved in a crash that resulted in the death of Jeff Bondy, 47. Bondy was driving his Harley Davidson motorcycle and fell victim to Forquer’s wide left turn. Forquer attempted to back off of Bondy, but was unable to move his car. While Forquer allegedly admitted to drinking two beers prior to driving, he told the police officer that the motorcycle had hit his car.

A Breathalyzer test was given to Forquer almost four hours after the wreck and registered a .045 percent. This Breathalyzer test has become the point of contention between the prosecution and defense attorneys. While the prosecution’s witness estimates Forquer’s BAC to have been between .084 and .123 percent at the time of the crash, the defense’s expert witness claims that, because of Forquer’s liver disease and alcoholism, his metabolism would be slowed, and his BAC would have been slightly below the legal limit.

Forquer’s defense attorney asked the judge at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building to aquit Forquer due to the immense amount of variables that can create an inaccurate BAC in cases such as this. This motion was denied.