A West Chicago man faces up to 14 years in prison after being found guilty Thursday of aggravated drunken driving and causing a fiery collision in 2014 that killed a Warrenville man.
Omar Montoya Medina, 31, was convicted of two counts of aggravated DUI and two counts of reckless homicide at the close of a bench trial in the DuPage County courtroom of Judge Brian Telander.
Prosecutors said Montoya Medina was impaired when he crashed the car he was driving into a vehicle being driven by Antonio Alvarez, 37, of Warrenville. The accident happened about 11:10 p.m. Dec. 4, 2014.
Man charged with DUI in fatal West Chicago crash Clifford Ward
A West Chicago man has been charged with drunken driving after a fiery weekend auto accident in which a father of two was killed, DuPage County prosecutors said Monday.
A judge set bail at $500,000 Monday for Omar Montoya Medina, 29, of the 100 block of East Pomeroy Street, who has been charged…
A West Chicago man has been charged with drunken driving after a fiery weekend auto accident in which a father of two was killed, DuPage County prosecutors said Monday.
A judge set bail at $500,000 Monday for Omar Montoya Medina, 29, of the 100 block of East Pomeroy Street, who has been charged…
(Clifford Ward)
Authorities said Alvarez was attempting to turn onto Illinois Highway 59 from Garys Mill Road in West Chicago when he was struck by Montoya Medina, who was northbound on Illinois 59. The two vehicles became engulfed in flames, and Alvarez, a father of two, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Montoya Medina’s blood-alcohol level registered at twice the legal limit, and police say he admitted that he had been drinking before the collision. He has been held in the DuPage County Jail since he was discharged from a hospital shortly after the accident. A passenger in his vehicle also was injured.
Telander set March 23 for sentencing. Montoya Medina faces a term of three to 14 years in prison, according to prosecutors.
State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said Alvarez’s death has left a hole in the life of his surviving family members.
"Because of Mr. Montoya Medina’s incredibly irresponsible behavior, Antonio’s widow will never get the chance to grow old with her husband, and his two children will grow up without their father," Berlin said.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
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