Grand juries in Illinois do not always act rapidly. For some crimes, the grand jury’s decision may follow the acts under consideration by several weeks. In a recent case arising from a motorcycle accident that occurred in the town of Channahon on Aug. 12, a Will County grand jury returned an indictment against the driver of the motorcycle, and the man was arrested on Oct. 15.
The crime
The defendant is charged with felony reckless homicide and three counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. The alleged criminal behavior occurred on the evening of Aug. 12.
The defendant allegedly lost control of his motorcycle at about 7:45 p.m. while traveling westbound on Front Street in Channahon. The cycle crashed, and the man’s passenger, a 32-year old woman from Geneva, was thrown from the motorcycle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The complaint in a parallel civil wrongful death action alleges that the man was operating the cycle under the influence of alcohol.
News reports of the incident state that the defendant’s blood alcohol content was at least 0.08, the legal limit of intoxication in Illinois. The defendant was taken to the Will County Jail, and the court has set his bond at $100,000.
Aftermath
This case is far from over. The defendant has not yet entered a plea, and he has not yet posted a bond for his release. Anyone facing similar charges may wish to consult an experienced criminal defense attorney for an evaluation of the prosecutor’s case, a review of potential defense strategies, and, if necessary, assistance with negotiating an appropriate plea agreement.