Driver in Fatal Chicago Crash Drank More Than 8 Beers

January 26, 2011 - Chicago - A Chicago man is facing serious felony charges after he caused a car accident while driving drunk. According to a report at My Fox Chicago, the fatal crash killed one person and injured two others. The DUI accident occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday night.

Police say the man was watching the Bears game at Tailgator's Sports Bar in Oak Lawn, where he consumed eight beers and at least one drink with hard liquor. He then drank at least one more beer at Murphy's Law bar before falling asleep in the bar's parking lot.

Shortly before 10:30 p.m. that night, the driver, a 38-year-old man from Chicago, got behind the wheel of a Ford Expedition SUV and started driving northbound on Cicero Avenue. Shortly later, he swerved into oncoming traffic and struck a GMC Yukon SUV. Police say his headlights were not on at the time of the DUI accident and his blood-alcohol content was .291, well above the legal limit of .08.

The driver of the GMC, a 38-year-old man, died less than an hour after the fatal crash at Advocate Christ Medical Center. His 36-year-old wife suffered serious personal injuries, including a shattered pelvis and other broken bones. The couple's 15-year-old daughter was also injured in the DUI accident.