Cops: Man On Heroin And Texting Caused Fatal Crash
YORKVILLE, Ill. (STMW) -- A southwest suburban man had been taking heroin and was texting at the time he caused a fatal accident two months ago in rural Kendall County, authorities alleged Tuesday.
Bryan C. James, 21, of the 300 block of Illini Drive in Yorkville, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant charging one count of aggravated driving under the influence of drugs and three counts of reckless homicide, according to the Kendall County Sheriff's office.
On April 26 at about 4:35 p.m., sheriff's deputies and Illinois State Police responded to a two-vehicle accident on Fox River Drive, just north of River Road in unincorporated Plano, a sheriff's police report said.
James was driving a 1999 Dodge Dakota southbound on Fox River Drive when he crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic and struck a 1993 Saturn SW1 driven by Stephen Cockriel, 59, of Plano, according to the report.
The vehicles collided head-on before the Saturn left the roadway and struck a guard rail, the report said. A 2002 Chevrolet Impala heading north on Fox River Drive was also struck by the other two vehicles.
Cockriel was pronounced dead on the scene while James was taken to Rush-Copley Hospital in Aurora in stable condition. The passengers in the third vehicle -- a man, woman and 1-year-old girl from Yorkville -- were not injured.
Investigators later discovered that James was text messaging on his cell phone when he crossed over the center line, the release said. And toxicology reports revealed that he had evidence of heroin in his system.
James, who was arrested at the Kendall County Courthouse in Yorkville, is being held at the Kendall County Jail on a $200,000 bond, the release said.
© Sun-Times Media Wire Chicago Sun-Times 2011. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
