A Waukegan man has been arrested and charged with driving drunk and causing a high-speed crash that killed a Zion mother of five, who was also a grandmother, on Thanksgiving Day in Zion.
Tomas Contreras, 39, of Waukegan, was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing a fatal crash, reckless homicide and four counts of aggravated driving under the influence.
The incident happened around 9:32 p.m. on November 24 near Ace Hardware, 2660 Sheridan Road.
Emergency crews arrived and found a vehicle with heavy damage, according to Zion Deputy Police Chief Christopher Sweeting.
According to witnesses, an Infiniti EX35 left the roadway and hit several trees and a light pole before coming to a rest, Zion Police Lieutenant Derek Zaloudek said.
Contreras was driving the vehicle and Nohemi Carrillo, 40, of Zion, was the sole passenger.
Both were trapped in the Infiniti with significant injuries, Zaloudek said.
Numerous fire departments responded to the scene to assist with extricating the two victims.
Firefighters successfully extricated both occupants 45 minutes later, according to fire department radio traffic.
ComEd and Hometown Electric responded to address property damage, Zaloudek said.
Paramedics transported Carrillo and Contreras to area hospitals.
The woman succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead, the coroner’s office said.
The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) was requested to investigate the crash.
Speed and intoxication were primary contributing factors in the crash, Zaloudek said.
Sweeting said Tuesday that officers at the scene smelled a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the cab of the vehicle.
Contreras was later determined to have a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit.
Video surveillance obtained from multiple sources showed the Infiniti traveling at a high rate of speed, Sweeting said.
Winthrop Harbor resident Consuelo Reyes said her family suffered “an unexpected loss” after her sister was killed in the crash.
“As you can see this wasn’t in our plans. God is the only one who knew and so he called for her,” Reyes said.
Carrillo was a mother of five children and a grandmother to two children.
An arrest warrant was issued for Contreras on February 15 and he was taken into custody by the Zion Police Department on Monday at his residence in Waukegan.
Lake County Judge Raymond Collins ordered Contreras held on a $750,000 bond.
Contreras remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on Monday.