Chicago Man Charged with Reckless Homicide After DUI Crash

February 3, 2011 - A Chicago man is facing a number of serious charges related to a fatal DUI accident on Sunday. According to a report at the Chicago Breaking News Center, the man was under the influence of both drugs and alcohol when he crashed his car, killing another man who was riding in the car with him.

The DUI accident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Police say the man blew through a red light at the intersection of Lafayette Avenue and 75^th Street in his Cadillac and crashed into a minivan. The driver then left the scene of the accident, although the minivan's driver pursued him.

As the minivan chased the Cadillac onto the Dan Ryan Expressway, the Cadillac fled onto South Racine Avenue, where the driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a building. A passenger in the Cadillac, a 27-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, a 25-year-old man, suffered personal injuries and was transported to Stroger Hospital.

Toxicology tests showed that the driver's blood-alcohol level was 0.26, which is well above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Prosecutors say the driver was also under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash. He is facing charges of reckless homicide, drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident.