Police in Illinois say that alcohol was partly to blame for a crash involving four vehicles on the evening of Oct. 16. A 43-year-old Naperville woman was taken into custody after the accident on charges of drunk driving and speeding. The four-vehicle crash occurred across the street from Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville at approximately 11:20 p.m.
According to Naperville police, traffic was temporarily halted on 95th Street in the vicinity of Wildcat Way in Naperville’s Tall Grass neighborhood to allow emergency services personnel to go about their work. Details regarding the events leading up to the crash were not immediately revealed by authorities, but it is known that at least one person suffered injuries in the accident. Three of the vehicles involved sustained significant damage and could not be driven away from the scene. Tow trucks were called in to remove them.
According to a police report, the injured motorist was behind the wheel of a black Honda in the westbound lanes of 95th Street at the time of the collision. That individual is said to have suffered head injuries after striking the car’s windshield. The motorist was transported by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment after being extracted from the car by firefighters.
The penalties for drunk driving in Illinois could be severe when an accident results in serious injuries. However, the evidence prosecutors rely upon in this kind of case may not always be as compelling as it appears. Police statements and eyewitness accounts may contain vague, misleading or contradictory accounts of events, and they might be challenged in court by a criminal defense attorney.
Source: CBS Chicago, “Naperville Woman Charged With Drunk Driving In Four-Vehicle Crash“, October 20, 2014