Wheaton Man Held On $150,000 For Allegedly Striking And Killing Pedestrian, 82
WHEATON, Ill. (STMW) -- A west suburban delivery man had cannabis in his system when he struck and killed an elderly woman on the Southwest Side earlier this week, Cook County prosecutors said Saturday.
James Rudzinski, 61, allegedly admitted to authorities that he smokes marijuana everyday and did the night before he hit an elderly pedestrian in the 6300 block of North Narragansett Avenue Thursday afternoon, the Sun-Times is reporting.
Bronislawa Zajac, 82, was walking across the street when the delivery truck Rudzinski was driving struck her as it was turning left at the intersection, police said.
A drug test allegedly revealed Rudzinski had cannabis in his system at the time of the crash.
Zajac, of the 6600 block of West 64th Place, was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn at 12:40 p.m. Thursday, the Cook County Medical examiner's office said.
Rudzinski, of Wheaton, was ordered held in lieu of $150,000 bail for felony aggravated DUI Saturday. He also faces two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs and for disregarding a pedestrian in a crosswalk with the right of way.
Rudzinski was placed on supervision for failing to yield to a pedestrian last year, but has no felony convictions, according to court records.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
