Woman Charged With DUI In Crash That Injured 9 Kids
Updated 08/02/13 - 11:20 a.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago woman has been charged with drunk driving and child endangerment, after a rollover crash on Interstate 57 sent nine kids to the hospital.
CBS 2's Susanna Song reports two adults and nine children were in the Chevy Suburban when it crashed around 12:20 a.m. along I-57 near 99th Street, according to Illinois State Police. Suburbans typically has seating for a maximum of eight people.
The SUV was driving at a high rate of speed when it went out of control, up an embankment, and then flipped on its roof near the treeline.
Seven of the children – who range in age from 3 to 14 – were not wearing seat belts, or in other child restraints. Seven of the children were 8 years old or younger.
Tonica Cornwell, 30, was charged with DUI and nine counts of child endangerment.
Cornwell, who was the mother of several of the passengers, was also issued traffic tickets for child restraint violations.
Police said none of the injuries was considered to be life-threatening.
Fire Department officials said two of the victims were in serious to critical condition, four were in fair to serious condition, and five others were in good to fair condition.
Two adults were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where the driver was under police guard.
The nine children were taken to various hospitals.
As of Friday afternoon, Cornwell and a 5-year-old boy remained in the hospital.
