A man that was charged for DUI three years ago, has now been sentenced though he maintains that he wasn’t high when he sped 100 mph down a Berwyn city street, left one man dead, injured one other, and crashed into several cars in his wake, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
J.T., 37, pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI and reckless homicide. He was sentenced on February 24 to 15 years in prison.
J.T. told Judge Noreen Love that he was too full of remorse to face the family of P.J., 58, the Berwyn man he killed in the incident.
On January 3, 2009, J.T. slammed into the rear end of P.J.’s Oldsmobile. The strength of the impact sent P.J.’s vehicle into a tree at the corner of 26th Street and Gunderson Avenue. P.J. suffered with a fractured skull and numerous broken bones before succumbing to his injuries.
After the accident J.T. continued to drive his Chrysler 300 at a high rate of speed. He proceeded down 26th Street, hitting seven more cars, before finally flipping his car over and landing on top of an eighth vehicle.
Assistant State’s Attorney Maureen O’Brien told the court during J.T.’s plea hearing that police officers and paramedics said it was the worst accident they had seen in their careers.
According to O’Brien, had the case gone to trial witnesses had prepared to describe the scene: Seeing J.T.’s Chrysler run a red light at 26th Street and Ridgeland Avenue, his vehicle going approximately 90 to 100 mph, driving west on 26th Street where it struck P.J.’s vehicle and others, hitting two parked cars, pushing one car onto a porch and ending when his car had flown up, spun, flipped over – while it was still going 74 mph.
A male passenger in J.T.’s vehicle suffered fractures to his skull and eye socket.
J.T. was also injured in the accident, but, per police, was combative and aggressive toward them at the scene. PCP had been found in J.T.’s system via samples from his blood and urine tests.
J.T. pleaded guilty but has maintained that he was not high on PCP during the crash. He told Judge Love that he was sorry but he only took the PCP to combat pain in his hands that he had sustained in a work-related injury.
Love failed to accept J.T.’s excuse and said, “I hear a man who is still not taking responsibility. You are not showing any remorse. This is more than just an accident, Mr. (J.T.), if you’re not having nightmares you should be.”
P.J.’s daughter, C.S., commented on her loss saying, “We are all potential victims with someone like that on the street. … To him my dad was just some guy, somebody who got in the way. My heart is broken, broken forever.”
Charged with DUI, DWI, OUI or OWI? You must contact a DUI attorney that specializes in these types of charges to help you avoid loss of driving privileges, fines and jail time.