Woman Charged With Drunk Driving After Hitting Boy Riding Bike
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Felony drunk driving charges have been filed against a 66-year-old woman who allegedly spent the day drinking on Monday, and then struck an 8-year-old boy riding his bike.
The boy was riding his bicycle in front of his home in the 300 block of Eastgrove Road in Riverside around 5 p.m. Monday, when Cynthia Grosse, of Lyons, struck him in front of his 6- and 11-year-old siblings, according to Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel.
Police said Grosse admitted she had drunk two or three beers while working as a caretaker for an elderly person in LaGrange Park, then drove to visit a friend in Oak Park, where she continued drinking. She also allegedly admitted drinking more beer as she drove home, before striking the child in Riverside.
"This female had been drinking all day, by her own admission. She had open alcohol in the car. I mean, when she struck the boy, she did stop, but she was really quite out of it," Weitzel said.
Weitzel said police officers found Grosse sitting on the curb at the scene. She allegedly failed all field sobriety tests.
"She had a very cavalier attitude about the whole incident, at least the initial day. I don't think she really did realize what had happened until about 24 hours after she was in our custody," he said.
The boy was rushed to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was placed in a medically-induced coma to relieve swelling on his brain.
"I think he is going to pull through, but it is going to be a long haul for that young man. That is going to be no easy recovery," Weitzel said.
The boy was in serious condition on Thursday.
Grosse has been charged with aggravated DUI involving great bodily harm, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and transportation of open alcohol.