Chicago Drunk Driver Sentenced in Crash That Killed National Guard Soldier

December 17, 2010 - A Chicago woman who killed an Army National Guard soldier when she was driving drunk will not serve any time in prison for the fatal accident. According to a report at the Chicago Breaking News Center, the 25-year-old woman from Elmwood Park was sentenced to probation and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to aggravated DUI and reckless homicide.

The charges stem from a fatal car accident that occurred around 4 a.m. on Feb. 20, 2010. The 25-year-old woman was driving a Hyundai Sonata on Irving Park Road when she crashed into a Jeep Wrangler at the intersection with Harlem Avenue. Police say the driver was intoxicated and ran a red light before crashing into the Jeep.

A 21-year-old man who served in the National Guard was killed when he was ejected from the Jeep. Two other men in the Jeep, including the victim's brother, suffered personal injuries. Prosecutors interviewed witnesses who saw the driver drinking in the hours before the crash. A breathalyzer test also indicated that her blood-alcohol content was above the legal limit of .08.

According to the victim's obituary, he left behind a fiancée and 2 nieces. He was buried at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Chicago.