A former Crystal Lake attorney was sentenced to five years in prison for driving drunk and causing the death of a 41-year-old man who was riding on a motorcycle last summer in Crystal Lake.
Robert A. Roth, 70, of the 4100 block of White Ash Road in Crystal Lake, was indicted on two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing death, a Class 2 felony, and two counts of driving under the influence, a Class A misdemeanor.
Court records show the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office reached a negotiated plea deal with Roth on Friday.
Roth pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated driving under the influence causing death, a Class 2 felony, in exchange for his other charges being dismissed.
McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt approved the plea deal and sentenced Roth to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Roth will also have to pay $2,609 in court fees and fines.
Wilbrandt ordered Roth to serve his sentence at 85% under truth-in-sentencing guidelines and also ordered Roth to undergo a substance abuse program, court documents show.
The charges stem from a June 2, 2020, crash that left Adam M. Antoni, 41, of Port Barrington, dead on Route 31 south of Drake Drive in Crystal Lake.
Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Thomas Kotlowski said at the time that a black Ford SUV, driven by Roth, was traveling northbound on Route 31 when it collided with a silver Jeep SUV that was also traveling northbound.
The Jeep crossed into the southbound lane of traffic where it crashed into a motorcycle, driven by Antoni.
Antoni was transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry where he was later pronounced dead, Kotlowski said. Antoni left behind three children.
Roth was found to be driving with a blood alcohol content level of more than 0.08, which is over the legal limit.
Roth was a registered lawyer at the time of the incident, but the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission now shows he is retired and not authorized to practice law.
Jennifer Antoni, the wife of Adam M. Antoni, filed a wrongful death lawsuit shortly after the incident. She is represented by Chicago-based law firm Balke & Williams.
The suit asked for a jury trial and is seeking an undisclosed amount, over $50,000, from Roth.
The suit was also seeking an undisclosed amount, over $50,000, from the driver of the Jeep SUV, identified as Michael S. Pedretti, of McHenry.
Both lawsuits are still active and pending in McHenry County Circuit Court, records show.