Bond Set At $250K In DUI Crash That Killed 2, Injured 9
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A woman had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal driving limit when she crashed her sport-utility vehicle head-on into a car early Saturday on the West Side -- killing two people and injuring nine others, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors on Monday said those hospitalized suffered brain and lung injuries, broken bones, fractures, back injuries and lacerations.
Kimberly L. Bradley, 39, of the 1300 block of North Parkside Avenue, is charged with two counts of aggravated DUI involving an accident resulting in death, seven counts of aggravated DUI involving an accident resulting in great bodily harm, and one count of DUI involving an accident resulting in great bodily harm to a passenger under 16, police said.
Judge Israel Desierto on Monday set bond at $250,000 and a preliminary hearing for May 20. Police said Bradley remained hospitalized Monday afternoon.
The crash happened about 3 a.m. Saturday when a 2003 Mazda SUV with 11 people inside traveling north in the 1300 block of South Kostner Avenue swerved across the center lane into oncoming traffic and struck a 1995 Ford Probe head-on, police said.
Bradley was trying to pass the vehicle in front of her car when she struck the other vehicle, prosecutors said.
The crash caused the SUV to flip over, throwing some passengers who were not wearing seatbelts out of the vehicle and entrapping others, Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said.
Eight ambulances were dispatched to the crash, where responders found one person dead, Langford said. All 11 people in the SUV were injured, police said, while the driver of the Ford -- the only person in the car -- was not hospitalized.
Jarrell Billingsley, 19, of the 5900 block of W. Walton St., was pronounced dead at 3:50 a.m. at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner's office.
Lasarrah Hart, 20, of the 1400 block of S. Avers Ave., was pronounced dead at 3:52 a.m. at Stroger Hospital, according to the medical examiner's office.
A Tuesday autopsy determined both Billingsley and Hart died of cervical injuries from a vehicle collision and the deaths were ruled accidents.
Prosecutors said Bradley's blood alcohol content after conversion was .165. She gave a handwritten statement admitting to drinking beer that night and confirming that she was the driver. She told police she lost control of the SUV and the vehicle flipped numerous times.
In addition to the felonies, Bradley was charged with misdemeanor counts of DUI, driving on a suspended license and DUI-blood alcohol content 0.08. She was also cited for driving to the left of center and operating a motor vehicle without insurance, court records said.
Bradley received two years probation in 2004 for a forgery conviction, court records said.
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