Five-Year-Old Steger Child Killed by Drunk Driver

May 11, 2010 - One man is facing serious charges after he killed a five-year-old boy in an alcohol-related car accident. According to reports at WGNTV.com, a 22-year-old male has been charged with drunk driving and reckless homicide in the crash.

Police are still investigating the circumstances of the fatal car crash, but initial reports indicate that a 5-year-old was in the car with his mother's boyfriend when the 22-year-old lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree. The car accident occurred at 3:30 a.m. on Monday morning, near Steger Road and Carpenter Street. The child was transported to St. James Hospital, where he was declared dead. Police have not said if the 5-year-old was in a child seat or if he was wearing a seatbelt.

The boyfriend was not seriously injured in the crash. Police say his blood alcohol levels were several times more than is legally allowed. The investigation into the fatal drunk-driving accident continues, and police will be trying to recreate the timeline of the accident to determine how it occurred. No other vehicles or passengers were involved in this fatal crash.